Unplanned Visits
by AnonymousVDAddict
Summary: Elijah has never pursued a common woman or love because it was already promised. A powerful witch bestowed his fate upon him. But left him with no idea of when or how the mysterious girl will fall into his life. But through a mere vision, he has no doubt that he will love her with all of his heart. Elijah/OC. The same OC from Forbidden to Remember.
1. Part I

**_So I was inspired by The Time Traveler's Wife and other VD fics that were somewhat similar to this concept. Since I'm ridiculously attached to my OCs, I wanted to try this idea out with one of them. Hopefully, this will please some of you. This story will be very different from my other two. It will be much, much shorter and a slightly different style, I guess. I originally planned on just posting one long segment, but decided to split it into multiple parts. I hope it's worth publishing instead of leaving it in my head to take over my thoughts. _**

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**1995**

"Are you absolutely certain that you cannot perform the spell on your own?" Elijah asked his witch, Cassandra. They stood in an abandoned warehouse, the moonlight was their only source of light. Shattered glass lay on the dusty floor from the windows being broken by uncontrollable teenagers.

"You've become too paranoid to trust anyone." She pointed out to Elijah.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "My brother is the one incapable trust. I, on the other hand, am simply careful about who I confide in." His hands rested in the pockets of his charcoal pea coat. He could see Cassandra's breath from the harsh winter air. It was beginning to snow slightly. They were in Boston, with a view of an abandoned area of the harbor.

"She's here." Cassandra stated quietly. She glanced up at Elijah to see that he had already sensed her. Then she looked over at the doorway, on the other side of the large room, to see a shadowed figure walking toward them. Josephine walked over to meet her halfway while Elijah stood still, watching them closely.

Once she walked into the moonlight, he took in the new witch's appearance. Her hair was the brightest red he'd ever seen. Her skin was pale and practically radiated magic. Her eyes were the strangest shade of brown so that they too almost looked red. They flickered in his direction. She seemed to be reading Elijah in a way no human or even most witches could. She was powerful; he could feel it.

"Elijah, this is Genevieve." Cassandra stated nervously. This certain witch intimidated her. Genevieve was more powerful than Cassandra could ever dream of becoming. She came from a bloodline that was kept secret from almost all witches. They wanted to remain undisclosed, staying out of supernatural affairs that got most of their kind killed. It took a great deal of convincing just for Cassandra to get her to come and even more convincing to meet with a vampire.

"You never told me he was an original." Genevieve hissed at the other witch.

Cassandra swallowed heavily. "I did not think it was important."

Genevieve whipped her head. "Or you thought I wouldn't come if I knew." She took a step in Elijah's direction and then continued to walk around him, observing him closely. "I do not fear the originals." She stated boldly. "As long as a witch never trusts a vampire, they will never be destroyed by one."

Elijah glanced at Cassandra, amused by this certain witch's confidence. "Cassandra has informed me that you can help locate my brother." Seeking revenge on his brother for destroying their family had not been as easy as he liked. It took time just to find a witch of Cassandra's level. But it turned out they needed someone much more powerful to complete the tasks he wished.

"And what makes you believe I will help a vampire?" Genevieve purred.

"Why else would you be here? You already intended on performing the necessary spell the moment you decided to come." Elijah replied evenly.

Genevieve glared at how correct his answer was. "If I do what is needed…" She began. "You will never contact me or anyone from my family. This is the one and only time any of us will ever help. You will never even repeat my name." Elijah nodded his head, seeing the terms as the simplest they could be. "I only ask for one thing in return." She added. "Your blood."

Cassandra's brow furrowed with confusion. "What could you possibly do with his blood?" She was unaware of any spells that could need it. She thought the spirits would be offended by even trying to use the blood of what they thought was an abomination to nature.

"Just because you are unable to use blood or are oblivious to its power, doesn't mean that I or my family cannot." Genevieve answered darkly. There was no missing the insult that undernoted the explanation.

"So be it." Elijah answered. He noticed Cassandra's head whip in his direction at the quick answer. He knew she was concerned that Genevieve might have discreditable intentions with his blood, perhaps even cause him harm. Elijah was also aware of Cassandra's growing affections for him. Although, she didn't know he had noticed them as soon as they started.

"What do you plan on doing with his blood?" She hurriedly asked the other witch the moment she had taken a step toward Elijah.

"Relax, my dear. It will not harm him. His blood is powerful…powerful enough to complete spells that you could never imagine." Genevieve was at his side now. She looked into his eyes and he held out his hand for her. She grabbed a knife that had been resting in her belt. It raced across his wrist, slicing his skin open. Immediately, blood dripped from the cut. She already had a clay flask to catch all of it, aware that the wound would close very soon. Elijah was completely calm as his eyes watched. He could hear Cassandra's heart racing at the sight of his blood.

After a few minutes, the cut was healed. Genevieve looked satisfied with the amount of blood she received. Her attention now focused on the matter at hand. "You wish to locate your half brother, correct? The original hybrid that has continued to fail to break the curse to release his true self." She looked content with the surprise in Elijah's expression. She knew more than anyone else that was outside the original vampire family.

A second later, he hid any emotion that he had let slip a moment ago. He nodded his head. "Niklaus has the constant companionship or various witches. I have realized the difficultness that follows with such company."

"I can do what is needed…and much more." Genevieve said with a fire in her eyes. Elijah's eyes tightened, waiting for to explain what she meant. "I will show you." She said simply. "Give me your hand, vampire." She instructed.

Elijah did as he was told. His eyes watched hers closely. As soon as their skin made contact, he felt all of her energy. Unlike vampires, who were filled with death, witches were filled with the life of everything around them. Elijah practically felt human when her energy flowed through him.

"Close your eyes." Genevieve instructed carefully. "And search for what you desire." Her voice whispered, the sound echoing in his mind. Elijah was then thrown into a passageway of flashes and rapidity. It was almost like running at vampire speed, but he couldn't actually control where he was going. It felt like hours until it finally slowed down. When it finally stopped, Elijah saw the back of his brother's head. It was like he was a shadow in the room. Elijah was there, but no one acknowledged him. Niklaus was talking to someone, most likely a witch.

"Katarina had a child that was taken away from her. That is what this book declares." Niklaus almost looked happy. "So there is a chance that the Petrova line could still very much be living?" That was all the vision allowed Elijah to see. There was a feeling of being whipped backward a second before his eyes snapped open. Genevieve looked pleased, for she had also seen everything he had. His breathing was heavy, something unusual for vampires. Cassandra watched quietly from the side, completely unaware of what both of them had seen.

Elijah's gaze shot up to Genevieve's. "Is it true? Is it possible?" He asked of the doppelgänger line still possibly existing somewhere in the world.

"The possibility exists. But only time will tell if a new doppelgänger is born into the world." The witch hummed. "Do you know where your brother resides?"

"Yes, it was Bulgaria." Elijah confirmed as his eyes zoned out. "I recognized it immediately." He stated. That was where Katarina had been born. And it must be how his brother was able to attain such information about her family.

"I see where your heart presses into your mind." Genevieve whispered. Her words caught Elijah off guard. "Your heart longs for another Petrova. It aches to lay eyes on a facsimile of the only two women you have ever loved." Now she had become too daring. Elijah had enough of allowing such things. His hand wrapped around her throat and threw her into the nearest wall.

"Elijah!" Cassandra warned as she ran to his side, hoping she could get him to release the grip on the witch's neck. She had promised her no harm would come to her if she came. She wouldn't break it.

"You forget yourself. It was a grave mistake to believe I would allow you to say such things to me." Elijah growled to Genevieve. She had a hit a spot that no one knew even existed. Bringing up his love for the past Petrova's was too emotionally painful for him to allow. He would not be underestimated.

But before he could punish this witch any further, an indescribable pain erupted within his skull. The feeling was somewhat familiar. When he was a young vampire, barely 100 years old, witches were able to condemn such agony onto him. But then it became an inability to any witch who tried. He had no choice but to let go of Genevieve's throat as he fell to his knees with his hands clenched into fists. Cassandra was at his side, unaware of how to help.

A minute later, the pain subsided. A layer of sweat now covered Elijah's forehead. He looked up at the witch with fire in his eyes. He stood up, about to inflict as much pain as possible on her. But there was an invisible wall, blocking his attack.

"I'm sure that is the last time you will misjudge my power." Genevieve growled at him. She was breathing heavily in anger. Once she was convinced that Elijah wouldn't try to assault her again, she let down the barrier. Genevieve opened her mouth to say something else, but her eyes instantly became distant. She gasped in shock and backed into the wall, her palms against the bricks for support. A gust of wind blew through the shattered windows. Flurries of snow from outside snaked around Genevieve in a haunting manner.

"What's happening?" Elijah shot at Cassandra. He could hear the sudden dryness in Genevieve's throat as she tried to breath and calm down.

But the younger witch looked just as confused as him. "I…I don't know."

Suddenly, Genevieve's eyes met his in the most disturbing way. Elijah took a step closer, never breaking their gaze. Then, her eyes became completely white. A clouded haze covered her irises and pupils. Her posture completely changed. It seemed like she had become possessed by something. She tilted her head, as she looked even deeper at Elijah.

"You will never care for another Petrova again." Genevieve stated in the most even and monotone voice. "There is another you are meant to truly love. A human girl with darkness that will destroy her if you don't follow fate. If you save her, she will give you only light and love in return." With every word, Elijah took a step closer, silently begging her to say more of this girl. He couldn't decide if this witch was mocking him or if he was desperate for a part of what she said to be true.

Genevieve's head dropped, hiding her face from Elijah and Cassandra. Slowly, she raised it once again. Her eyes were back to normal and she seemed to be just as confused as the other two. Then she took in their expressions and started putting together what might have happened. "What did I say?" Genevieve whispered. But when she looked at Elijah for some kind of answer, he was speechless. Clearly what she spoke of was no trickery. And he was now lost in his thoughts, trying to wrap his mind around the possibilities.

"You said something about someone…a girl. Someone Elijah is supposed to save and…love." Cassandra managed to stutter on his account. She spoke to Genevieve but continued to look at Elijah, who was not mentally there anymore.

"Whatever I spoke of…" Genevieve started. It snapped Elijah out of his thoughts and made him finally look at her. "It's not the first time that's occurred. Whatever I say, it always comes true."

Elijah's first instinct was to disbelieve any of the absurdity. But there was this feeling, he'd never experienced before, that made him trust that this premonition was true. Except, he refused to show his belief in front of the two witches. However, all the strange want for this girl to truly exist made him angry. He saw it as a weakness instead of an opportunity.

He took an aggressive step toward Genevieve. She instantly took a step back and held up her hand, prepared to defend herself physically or with magic. Elijah grabbed her wrist, but was clashed with images instead of pain. It was just like he was hallucinating. Except, this vision was taken from somewhere real and unknown to him. He was outside at a beach somewhere, as the sun was about to hit the horizon. But Elijah could only focus on the person in front of him: a beautiful girl. Her hair was blonde but with the sunset, it had a certain reddish glow to it. She was smiling at him and apparently, talking to him too. But all he could hear was a ringing of some sort. She was barefoot, wearing black and white striped bathing suit bottoms, exposing her long legs. She had on a light blue sweater that was so big, it fell off her shoulder and the sleeves went way past her fingers. The visions were not cohesive and they were skipping about out of order. Now she was close to him, which allowed him to see her eyes better. They were the most unique color he'd ever seen. They were neither blue nor green but danced between the two colors, making them absolutely mesmerizing. Elijah knew he would never forget them. The ringing then disappeared for a split second as he suddenly heard the girl's laughter. Her head was thrown back and the sound was the sweetest thing he'd ever heard.

Then it all disappeared just as quick as it had been created. To Cassandra and Genevieve, the moment lasted a few seconds. Even though neither of them saw anything. To Elijah, it felt like an hour. But the strangest thing was that it didn't feel like a dream to him, it felt like a memory he had yet to live. Elijah let go of Genevieve's wrist as if it were on fire. He took a step back and looked at the two of them. But no words came from his mouth. He continued to review the apparitions in his head, fearing he would someway forget them.

"What did you just see?" Cassandra gasped, somehow knowing that he had experienced something that they had not.

"He saw her." Genevieve clarified when he did not answer.

"What kind of dark magic is this?" Cassandra accused the other witch, angrily.

Genevieve glared at the claim. "Not everything is as simple as good and dark magic. There is another kind, more powerful than any other. It has no name; it has no source. The difference is that it has a life of its own. If it wants to be found, it will be." The witch then made eye contact with Elijah. "It's just a matter of when."

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**1997**

Like most vampires, Elijah often suppressed his vampire abilities. Obviously, it made fitting into human society much easier. But Elijah was always fond of walking, even before his mother turned him. He never really found it necessary to use heightened speed to get from one place to another. What was the point of immortality if he couldn't enjoy things that humans moved too fast to see?

The sun was going down and Elijah happened to be walking past a park in the town he was passing through. Every day seemed to become too similar too the last. He would hunt down and find a witch or a vampire that could give him in any information on his brother's whereabouts. But it never was enough to fully help him. So he would start his journey once again.

Elijah glanced up to see the park he was passing had become empty. Except, in the distance, was a little girl who sat on the curb of the street with her back to Elijah. She couldn't be more than 5 years old. Her knees were hugged to her chest with her shin guards and soccer cleats still on. A soccer ball sat next to her as she continued to stare in the same direction of the road.

Elijah didn't know what made him watch her. He'd always found children amusing, appreciating that they showed the most beautiful things about humans. But he never felt extremely comfortable around them. Sometimes he believed his very presence would corrupt their innocence. Being a vampire, he chose to stay away from them if possible. But something about this child drew his attention even closer. Her long hair was the only significant feature he could see from where he stood. Yet, he couldn't help but feel like he recognized her.

Elijah glanced around the park, wondering where the child's parents were. But even his vampire senses knew that everyone was gone except for this tiny human. The sun would be completely hidden behind the horizon soon. And he guessed that the girl had been somewhat abandoned.

Before he even realized what he was doing, Elijah started walking toward her. He stopped and stood just a foot or two away from her spot on the curb. "Is someone coming to pick you up?" He tried to ask softly. It was always crucial to talk to children differently, something that Elijah was not practiced in.

The little girl looked away from down the street to her feet, but not up at Elijah. He knew that she heard his question. Her heart sped up at the sound of his voice; apparently he had startled her a little bit. "Is there someone you can call on my phone?" He then asked her.

After a moment, the little girl finally looked up at him. That was when Elijah realized what had drawn her to him. It was the girl the witch had unintentionally showed him years ago. But she was just a child. Her eyes are what assured him that he was in no way mistaken. Their color was mesmerizing even now. But her hair was not as red as it had been in the vision.

"I'm not supposed to talk to you." Her voice brought him out of his daze. She finally spoke so seriously to Elijah that he couldn't help but smile. She didn't sound like a child when she said it.

"Is that so?" He humored her.

"You're a stranger." She clarified. Her ears were too big for her child size, causing them to stick out from her long and straight hair. Then Elijah remembered how tall she'd seemed when she was older. She would grow into them.

"Well, if I introduce myself then I wouldn't be a stranger." He knelt down so he was at her level, hoping he wouldn't seem so intimidating to her then. "I'm Elijah." He said softly as he held out his hand to her. She looked at it nervously. He could tell that she was confused on how to handle the situation. Her eyes slowly moved from his hand to his eyes. He wasn't sure what, but she must have found something redeeming in them, for she timidly shook his hand.

"That's a weird name." She said after she let go. Elijah laughed lightly at the brutally honest statement. That was the funny thing about children.

"You don't like it?" He teased her.

"I didn't say I didn't like it…just that it's weird." She quickly defended, realizing she could have sounded mean. But Elijah already knew she wasn't capable of truly being cruel.

"And what is your name?" He asked her.

She bit her lip at the question, torn between being polite and being safe. But, once again, the moment she looked into his eyes, she felt as if it were okay. "Hayley." She finally stated quietly, hoping it wouldn't make it as bad for telling him.

"It's lovely to meet you, Hayley. Now, I guess we aren't really strangers anymore." Elijah informed her.

Hayley smiled at him, noticing how he broke the rules without really breaking them. She was smart just for noticing the cleverness of it. But then her eyes wandered back down the street, looking for something that wasn't there. Elijah followed her gaze, already knowing that she was waiting for someone.

"Are you expecting your parents?" He asked her gently.

"They forgot about me." Hayley sadly said as she looked at the ground. All of Elijah's amusement with her was now gone. How could parents forget their child in such a way? "My coach waits with me or just drives me home…but I ran into the woods to get my soccer ball. I think he thought I left already." She told him quietly.

Elijah nodded slowly. "Well, it will be dark soon. Would like to call them?" He asked her as he already fished for his phone in one of his pockets. He really just wanted to drive her home, himself. Even though he knew that it was not a good idea. The child would probably be frightened by the idea too.

"No. I don't wanna call them." Hayley stated firmly. "They'll just yell at me." Elijah believed what she said. But it bothered him picturing parents yelling at such an innocent child for something that was their fault, not hers. "Will you walk me home?" Hayley asked him softly as she stared at him.

Elijah hadn't expected the question. The witch's words suddenly spoke in his head, _"If you save her, she will give you only light and love."_ It had always been clear that the girl he learned of that day would need him. And there was no question that this small child was the girl he'd seen. Hayley needed him now, not in the way he suspected, but it still felt just as important to Elijah. Maybe this meeting was to insure that he would be there when she really did need him.

"Do you live far?" Elijah asked her as he slowly stood up.

Hayley cringed at his question. "A little…" She said shyly. "But I don't want you to drive me home." She stated confidently.

"And why is that?" He wondered.

"If we walk and you really are bad…I'll be able to run." She clarified.

Elijah found that more amusing than anything. He just nodded his head at her. She stood up, grabbing her soccer ball and putting it into the bag next to her. Elijah picked it up as soon as she zipped it closed. Hayley looked up at him, questioning why he was taking it. "So you can run faster if I'm bad." Elijah informed her supportively, making sure to hide the small smile wanting to form. She nodded her head seriously, seeing the logic in it.

"This way!" Hayley stated loudly, leading him in the direction she'd been looking when he found her. She kept her distance from him as he slowed his walking pace to suit her shorter legs. They walked past a large grouping of trees when suddenly a flock of birds flew out, scared from the sound of human footsteps. They past close in front of them loudly. Hayley jumped and clung to Elijah's leg. It took a moment for him to realize such a small thing could scare a child. He gently put his hand on her shoulder as her face was still buried against his leg.

"It's quite alright…just a few birds." He assured her. Hayley peeked her head out from his leg and looked to see that he was right. She nodded her head and then finally began walking again. Elijah followed, staying close to her. He was surprised when he felt her tiny hand grab onto his. He'd proven himself to her and she trusted him now. With the contact, he instantly got the feeling again. There were no visions this time. But if there was any doubt that this little girl was the one he was supposed to be with, it was now completely gone.

Hayley looked up at him with a smile. "I don't think you're bad." She announced with certainty. Perhaps, in a different way, she could feel it too.

Elijah glanced at the bag in the hand that wasn't holding hers. "Do you like playing soccer?" He asked her softly. Then he smiled when he say the puzzlement with her at being asked such a question.

"I like running." Hayley stated after thinking about it. She seemed rather satisfied with her answer.

They walked for quite some time. Hayley didn't seem to mind the distance. The sun had completely set a while ago, leaving them walking in the night. The darker it got, the closer Hayley huddled to Elijah while still holding his hand. For the entire walk, he continued to ask her simple questions that she stopped hesitating to answer. She never questioned why he would want to know so many things. And never once did she think of asking him anything. Elijah couldn't help but notice that she seemed excited just to be talking to anyone.

Hayley had led him into a neighborhood filled with decently large houses. She stopped in front of one that had a few lights on inside. Elijah could hear her parents moving around in the kitchen and another child's faster heartbeat. He looked down at Hayley, who met his gaze as soon as she felt him watching her. "This is my house." She informed him, almost sadly. Elijah nodded before kneeling down to her level. "I don't want to go inside." Hayley confessed to him pitifully. "They always forget about me." She sighed.

Elijah took in a deep breath. Even has a child, she had a hold on him. He wanted to give her anything she asked for. But he knew she had to go inside. "I think it would be best if you went home, Hayley." He instructed softly.

"What about you, 'Lijah?" She asked him, slightly missing the 'e' in his name. He tilted his head with a smile, wondering what she meant. "Will we see each other again?" She whispered and then let out a tiny giggle. It didn't sound like the laugh Elijah had heard in the vision, but it still had the same effect on him.

"I cannot tell you exactly when…but we will meet again." He assured her. Then he heard her family's movements inside once again. His smile disappeared before he continued. "Hayley, I don't believe you should tell your family or anyone else about me." The easier way to assure such a thing would be to compel her. But Elijah didn't wish to go so extreme. The very idea appalled him.

"Like a secret?" Hayley whispered with a mischievous smile.

Elijah smiled at her reaction. "Precisely." He handed the soccer back to her and watched as her smile and amusement vanished. Hayley hesitated a few seconds before finally turning and walking toward her front door. She only took a few steps before dropping her bag and running back toward Elijah, who was still kneeling.

Hayley wrapped him in an innocent hug that only a child could give. Elijah froze under the contact, completely stupefied by it. Then he tried to remember the last time he had even hugged someone. Hayley pulled away with a shy smile. "Thanks for walking me home. I promise I will keep out secret." She murmured before running into her house.

Elijah stood up, finally regaining his usual composure. He waited and listened to what her parents would say to her. "Hayley, where have you been?" He heard her mother shout. But her mother was yelling because she realized she had made a mistake that she would never admit too. "You were supposed to pick me up from soccer." Hayley stated softly. "I walked home." But she said nothing of Elijah.

Elijah left before hearing the rest of the conversation. He would come back again, knowing already that this wouldn't be the first time she'd need him. But just before he started walking away, he heard Hayley's hurried footsteps go up the stairs. A light turned on in a room from the second floor. Blinds from one of the windows were quickly pushed aside. Elijah spotted Hayley's head popping up to look out the window. With his enhanced vision, he was able to notice the sadness in her eyes. Seeing it within a child, brought out a whole different kind of sympathy. Hayley slowly waved her hand at him. It took a few seconds for Elijah to react and give a hopeful wave back before disappearing.

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**Feedback would be lovely. :)**

**Updating will take longer than my other stories. Just thought I'd throw that out there.**


	2. Part II

_**I honestly didn't expect anyone to read this, let alone R&R. So i was oh-so pleasantly surprised when I got your reviews. Thank you so much!**_

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**1999**

"Why are you going back to Chicago?" Cassandra asked Elijah harshly. Her arms were folded, as she didn't bother to hide her annoyance.

"My business is my own." He replied just as harshly.

"There was nothing to help you there. We would just be wasting our time." She informed him. Recently, it had become extremely hard for her to hide her feelings toward Elijah. He believed she would get over it after he showed no intention of reciprocating. But it never went away.

They had stopped momentarily in Salem. It continued to withhold a reputation of having some of the most powerful witches in the world. Elijah stopped grabbing his belongings around his hotel room. "You will not be accompanying me." He clarified quietly. There was no reason to avoid the issue any longer. He saw the hurt in her eyes when he explained that he would be going to Chicago alone. Elijah was a true gentleman and would never tell Cassandra that he knew she saw him as more than her employer. But he felt the time had come to be honest and show her somehow that her wishes would never be fulfilled.

Elijah took in a deep breath and looked at the ground. "I cannot give you what you want, Cassandra." He finally said to her evenly, meeting her eyes to show how much he meant it. She tried to act as if she didn't know what he was talking about. But they were both done playing this game.

Silence filled the room. It caused Elijah to hear the ticking of the clock. Cassandra played with the tips of her brunette hair. "You found her, didn't you?" She asked him in a whisper. But Elijah's only reply was crossing his arms, as he didn't falter their gaze. "Why didn't you say anything?" But then she immediately regretted questioning his reasoning. Why would he tell her? She had been a fool for hoping anything more than a work relationship or mutual respect would come from such an arrangement. Cassandra took in a deep breath before a sad smile appeared. She was embarrassed for being so naïve. "I should have listened to the rumors…the warnings the other witch's gave me." Elijah didn't give a reaction to her statement. He really didn't care about any stories about him that ran through the supernatural world. "Witches always say, if a vampire doesn't kill you, then you will fall in love with it…one extreme or the other."

Elijah continued to stand still, allowing her to say anything she wanted. He didn't want to make it any worse, or cause her any more embarrassment. "Everyone says you're incapable of love." Cassandra whispered. It was true. Anyone that knew of the originals also knew of Elijah's reputation. The supernatural world's fear of him made it impossible for them to see the morals or compassion he still possessed. "But I guess that can't be true." Cassandra suddenly grabbed her bag off the ground. "It was stupid to expect anything. I don't think I should help you any more."

Elijah nodded his head. "I understand." If he hadn't been so attentive, he would have wondered why she hadn't left sooner. While all the other vampires and witches came and went, Cassandra stayed at his side. He still didn't understand what had given her hope while he had detached himself from any form of friendship or company. Once he looked up, Cassandra was already walking toward the door. When her hand closed around the handle, she paused and looked at the ground. She then turned around to give Elijah one final look. He knew it was her last hope of him saying anything to stop her. But he said nothing.

"Goodbye, Elijah. I hope you find the revenge that you've allowed to take over your life." She said harshly before slamming the door shut to his hotel room. Elijah let the effect wash over him, just for a moment, and realized that he felt nothing.

* * *

Elijah didn't expect Hayley to remember him. She was only 5 years old when he first met her. He wondered how long it took a child to forget such a short interaction. Then he convinced himself that it had been too long for her to recall. But afterward Elijah thought it was better that way. Over time, it would confuse her to have him visit sporadically without giving some sort of explanation.

Elijah stood outside of Hayley's elementary school. He learned that Hayley walked from school every day by herself. The final bell rang, releasing all the kids outside. Boys and girls rushed past him, running to their parent's cars or to the bus. Moms waiting outside eyed Elijah, but he didn't notice. After most kids had disappeared or started playing on the schoolyard, he wondered where Hayley was. He decided to walk to the front entrance, thinking he might find her in a classroom. But as soon as he walked through the front door, he heard her heartbeat. To the left was the entrance to the front reception, the principal's office, and the nurse. Through an open door, he could see Hayley with her back to him. She was sitting in the chair with her head hanging as she faced the principal.

"Hayley, I don't want to see you in this office again." The principal said strictly. "I'm going to have to call your parents tonight." When Hayley didn't respond she took in a deep breath. Elijah, rather entertained by the situation he walked in on, decided it was a good time to intervene.

"May I ask what the problem is?" Elijah said to the principal, who was taken aback by his presence. He allowed himself to glance at Hayley for just a second before turning his attention back to the young principal. She had a ball of tissue held up against her nose. It was red from blood. Hayley squinted, seeing that she recognized him from somewhere. Then Elijah heard her heartbeat quicken. That's when he knew she remembered him.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" The principal asked him rudely.

"I'm Hayley's uncle, I was supposed to pick her up from school today." Elijah replied smoothly. But the principal narrowed her eyes suspiciously and looked at Hayley, seeing her reaction to such a statement.

"Can I go now?" Hayley said easily, even for a kid. She gave no notion that she was confused by Elijah's presence. The principal seemed convinced by this and nodded her head from Hayley's question.

"I will meet you out front." Elijah muttered to her. She nodded, grabbed her bag, and ran out the door, relieved to have her freedom.

The principal stood up and jumped when Elijah was in front of her in a second. "Whatever trouble Hayley caused, it would be better if it was forgotten." He compelled the woman. Her pupils dilated under his influence and blinked blankly a few times. Elijah nodded his head and briskly walked out of the office.

He made his way outside and found that they were alone. Hayley leaned against the brick wall of the school with her backpack in her hands. Her gaze was at the ground. Elijah slowly stepped towards her. "Hayley?" He said cautiously. Perhaps he had been mistaken; perhaps she really didn't remember him and she just saw him as an escape from getting into anymore trouble.

But as soon as she heard her name, Hayley's head whipped up and she met his gaze. "Elijah." She said with an innocent smile.

"You remember me?" Elijah asked her quietly.

Hayley nodded her head eagerly. "Of course." But then her smile slowly faded. "It was a long time. I thought I wouldn't see you again." She said sadly. Apparently, two years for a human was much longer than it was for a vampire.

Then Elijah finally put his attention to her nose that just stopped bleeding. He was kneeling in front of her now. His thumb and finger gently grabbed her chin to hold her still so he could see the damage. But Hayley swatted his hand away, annoyed with his concern. "May I ask what happened?" He asked roughly.

"Nothing happened." Hayley snapped as she picked up her bag and walked a few steps away from him. She stopped and turned to look at him. "Are you walking me home or what?" She asked him sharply. Her reaction made Elijah smile. He realized it was her way of avoiding the subject. He nodded his head and walked to her side, noticing how much bigger she got just in two years.

They were walking for a few minutes before he heard Hayley sigh. "I got into a fight." She finally confessed to him, looking straight ahead as she did so.

"Did you start it?" Elijah asked, amused. He wasn't her parent. And although, he was protective over her, he wasn't about to give her a lecture of any sort. If she got into some sort of fight, he was sure she could justify it.

"I told a boy I could beat him in a race. He was picking on my friend, Janet. I knew I could win and then he'd be embarrassed." Hayley rushed. "And I did. But then he got mad and pushed my friend on the ground. So I beat him up." She looked a little scared before finishing the story. "The nurse said I might have broken his nose…and he got a black eye." Her voice went quieter and quieter as she continued. Elijah tried not to seem pleased by the idea of her beating someone up. But he couldn't stop himself from admiring the obvious spirit she had. "Are you mad?" Hayley finally broke the silence with her concerned murmur.

Elijah looked at her seriously. The sound of her voice vanished all amusement at her story. "No, I could never be mad at you, Hayley." He said honestly.

Then Hayley's expression changed and she stopped walking to face him. "Why didn't you come back sooner?" She asked him.

Elijah took in a deep breath before kneeling down at her side. "I travel quite a lot. I apologize if you were expecting me sooner." He replied sincerely.

"I didn't tell anyone about you…just like I promised." Hayley sounded proud for keeping their secret. Her eyes fell on his hand that rested on his knee. She grabbed it slowly and then looked at him. "It's okay that you took so long." She caught the surprise on Elijah's face from her forgiveness and fell into a fit of laughter. It was hard for Elijah to think there was a darkness that could destroy her when she was like this: laughter filling the air, eyes beaming with light, and a smile that was utterly contagious. How could such a thing happen to a girl so innocent and full of energy? There couldn't be a darkness that would consume her.

Elijah wondered how Hayley saw their association. She'd only met him twice and yet, she never questioned him or his intentions. But Elijah didn't know that he showed her a kindness that her parents or everyone else did not. Her innocent heart was already reminding Elijah of the compassion and kindness that he still possessed. She didn't see him as a monster, only as her friend.

Hayley started walking again, holding on tightly to his hand. "Elijah, do you have a girlfriend?" She asked with a smile, and then a giggle escaped.

"I do not." Elijah replied with a smirk.

"Are you married?" Hayley continued to interrogate.

"I am not." He caught her smile at his answer. "Are you married?" Elijah then asked her; curious as to what sort of reaction he would get from.

"Ew! I'm 7 years old!" Hayley exclaimed. "And boys are gross and stupid!" She added. Elijah couldn't help but have a little satisfaction at her response. Hayley didn't seem like the type of little girl to dream about being a princess and finding her prince charming. Even as a child, their was so much more realism within her.

Elijah remembered where her house was and could hear inside to recognize that she was home alone. Her house was empty, no siblings, and no parents. He didn't want himself to be invited in. She was still just a child, and should be allowed safety in her own home. Even though Elijah would never harm her in any way, he still wanted such a barrier to exist.

Hayley let go of his hand as soon as they stood on the path up to her front door. Elijah knelt down to say goodbye. She looked sad and refused to meet his gaze. "I must go now, Hayley." He informed her. But she still wouldn't look at him. He sighed and glanced at her neighborhood to see that no one was around.

"Why do you have to go?" She finally complained.

Elijah always had a smooth and collected response to anyone's question. But this was one of the very rare times that he didn't know what to say. There was no way he could tell this child the reality. He didn't want to tell her the truth but he didn't want to tell her a lie either. He had hoped he could just leave her without giving either response. Elijah couldn't explain to Hayley that he would be with her for the rest of her life.

It was such a strange feeling, knowing he would fall in love with this child later in her life. Right now, he couldn't explain his feelings toward her. It wasn't love, not yet. At present, he felt a security over her, as if he was her guardian. But he knew, as time moved on, it would change. He didn't want to involve Hayley in the confusion, as she grew older. By finding her at such a young age, he had already made their relationship difficult. And he knew it would only get worse.

"I cannot stay, Hayley." Elijah said softly. "I can only see you every so often." He tried being honest without giving her too much information.

"But why?" Hayley urged quietly.

"Because it is not safe." Elijah said honestly. His mind fluttered to his brother Klaus. He wouldn't hesitate to hurt a child to get to him. Even if he was on another continent, the thought always remained in the back of Elijah's mind. "I promise that one day I will tell you." He pledged to her. And that really was the truth.

The lack of details she received clearly upset Hayley. She slowly walked backwards toward her front door. Her expression was a mixture of sadness and anger. And she could see the hurt on Elijah's face from her developing separation.

"When are you coming back?" She murmured.

"I do not know, Hayley." It was the truth. He couldn't stand the thought of having her wait for him only to never show up.

"Bye." Hayley said harshly before turning her back on him and walking to her front door. She slammed it closed behind her. It was a childish response, but that's exactly what she was. Elijah took a deep breath before he left at a speed no human eyes could catch.

* * *

**2004**

"Your teacher called today." Hayley's mom said at the dinner table. Hayley immediately made eye contact with her older sister, Lisa. They both knew what was coming. Hayley was the only one in the family that received any lectures.

"She said that you were disrupting class again." Her mother added.

"I really doubt that doodling in class should be seen as a disruption." Hayley snapped back before taking a sip of water.

"Well, I found your notebook in your backpack." Her mother said as she held it up. She'd come prepared for this little talk. Instead of the pages being filled with equations and numbers, there were elaborate doodles and drawings.

Hayley slammed her silverware onto the table. "You went through my stuff!" She shouted at her mother. Lisa cringed at the noise. She knew her parents singled her little sister out, while they thought she was perfect. The only thing worse than being the golden child is knowing that you are. Lisa always sided with Hayley, but her point of view never helped any of these situations.

"That's not the point." Their father finally intervened. "The point is that we get calls from all of your teachers saying you never pay attention in class. They say you're constantly daydreaming, you can't focus, and you choose to doodle instead of doing the assigned work for each class."

"Yet, I still have straight A's. Why does it matter? I know all the subjects. I can answer all of their dumb questions." Hayley defended. And it was true. She wasn't stupid. Hayley was actually one of the smartest people at her school. But the mundane topics of every class could never hold her interest. She was too imaginative, too creative. So her thoughts got lost in worlds that didn't exist and dreams that would never come true.

"You better lose the attitude. This is our last warning. We're sick of getting constant phone calls from your middle school." Her dad pointed his finger at her.

"Maybe you should let her take that art class at the park district on the weekends like she asked." Lisa added meekly. She thought if she suggested it, they would actually listen this time. "Then she can get it out of her system and focus better when she's at school."

Her father turned to look at Lisa, his expression immediately softened. "That would only encourage this behavior, honey." He explained to her nicely.

Meanwhile, Hayley watched her mother slowly go through the sheets of her notebook. Every page was filled with drawings. Instead of looking impressed, her mother looked disgusting the further she flipped through. Then she landed on a drawing of a handsome man dress in a suit with brown eyes that almost perfectly matched his hair. Hayley's heart jumped to her throat as she ripped the notebook from her mother's hands. She had enough of them and started for the back door.

"Where are you going?" Her mother challenged.

"I'm leaving." Hayley responded simply before slamming the door behind her. She knew her parents wouldn't try and stop her; they didn't care enough. She moved to the side of the house so she could see inside but they couldn't see her. Just like that, they had gone back to eating dinner as if nothing had happened. That was the family Hayley's parents had always wanted. They never needed her.

Hayley turned and stomped toward the woods behind her house. Prairies, hills, and forests lay just beyond her backyard. They were the escape from her problems. She had a spot about two miles in that no one knew of, not even her sister. It was a fall day, early evening. The sun still had an hour or two before it set. Hayley looked up at the trees that hovered and swayed way above her head. She tilted her head back, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath, trying to calm down.

A gust of window suddenly pasted and it caused shivers to go across Hayley's skin. She only had on a t-shirt, forgetting to grab a coat because of her rush of anger. But with the wind came the sound of the dry leaves rustling in the braches, some even billowing down to the ground. The sound was like a lullaby, ridding Hayley of all her anger. She pushed further into the forest until she hit the break where the trees ended and the small hills of grass began. Now she could see her spot where no one ever found her. The hill sat behind a little lake and gave a full circle view of the nature around it. No one really went up there besides her.

Once Hayley made the hike up to the top of the hill, she sat down and immediately became lost in her thoughts. After a few moments, she glanced over at the notebook she still had. Just the sight of it made her angry. She's always seen any of her artwork as some kind of diary. If other's looked closely enough, they could find her secrets, her feelings, and her desires. It was a dismal violation when her mother abused such privacy.

Hayley grabbed if off the ground and flipped through the pages angrily. It wasn't until she went back to the page of the man, the last one her mother had seen before Hayley ripped it out of her hands. But her mother didn't even notice the sentimental portrayal. Hayley stared at it for a moment. It was astonishing that she could even remember his name. The last time she saw him was five years ago. But she couldn't remember that, she had lost track of time.

Why hadn't he come back yet? Hayley asked herself. Why did he even bother showing up if he was just going to disappear all the time? She continued searching for things that she could never figure out. And with each unanswered question, she became angrier and angrier. Hayley began ripping pages from her notebook, until a dozen of ripped pages lay across the surrounding grass. Then she chucked the notebook into the ground and dropped her head between her knees. But she didn't cry, she never let herself cry. She believed it made her weak.

"Hayley." A voice said firmly, but at the same time, with concern. It came from a few feet behind her. No one had ever come up there before. So the sound startled her to point that she quickly stood up and whipped around to the face them. Elijah stood carefully, unsure of how she would react to his presence. He'd caught the end of her outburst, concerned at what could bring out such a reaction within her. But it was also when he saw a slip of the darkness he had been warned about. It wasn't just a childish tantrum; it was controlled by something deep inside.

Hayley looked at him nervously. She refused to show any signs that she was happy to see him. But she didn't realize how easily the jump in her heartbeat gave her away. Although she was still angry that he'd found her like this.

"What are you doing here?" Hayley whispered angrily.

Elijah narrowed his eyes calmly. He took a step toward her but stopped when she took a step away. But he continued forward and bent down to pick up the drawings that she had ripped out. He managed to pick up all of it up before the wind carried them away. He flattened the papers before he observed all of them.

"Did you draw all of these?" Elijah asked. Hayley could easily hear that he was impressed and captivated by them. He wasn't exaggerating or lying. It was a reaction she had never received before. And she realized it wasn't fair that she'd greeted him so coldly, especially after all this time apart.

"Can I have those back?" Her question brought Elijah out of his observations. He eyed her for a moment, unsure if she planned on ripping them to shreds. "Please?" She asked, more kindly this time. He nodded his head and handed them back to her. "I don't like showing them to people." Hayley informed him quietly.

"And why is that?" Elijah asked her.

"I just don't." She snapped before shoving the paper inside the demolished notebook. She gripped it tightly now, hoping it would keep anyone else from seeing its contents. Then she looked up at him now, unsure of what to say.

"What happened?" He asked her softly.

Hayley observed him, untrustworthily. She never told anyone why she got so upset, but mostly because no one ever really asked. She hid it well, except Elijah had caught her letting it go for once. "Why do you care?" She asked him darkly.

Elijah wasn't expecting how different she'd be at this age. She showed more emotion and had learned how to manipulate and hide it. And she was much smarter than he expected. Even now, she was above her age. There was a suspicion about why he was being a part of her life now. Elijah wondered when she would find it.

"I only wish to help." He finally responded.

Hayley slowly took a step toward him, narrowing her gaze. "Are you a ghost?" She asked him seriously.

Elijah couldn't help but smile at the question. "I beg your pardon?"

"You look the same every time I see you. No one else seems to notice that I'm talking to you. Are you a ghost that only I can see?" There was no amusement or smiling when she asked him again.

But Elijah didn't bother hiding his smirk. "No, I am not a ghost."

"Are you a time traveler?" She gasped with excitement, causing Elijah to let out a small laugh. Hayley then took a step closer, shutting the distance she had put between them before. "I read a book where a man time traveled. But he couldn't control when it happened or where he went. He always visited the girl he was in love with, when she was a child. She kept having to wait for him."

Elijah's smile and amusement instantly vanished. The story was too familiar. Only in his life, both of them waited. Hayley waited for him while Elijah waited for her to grow up and for her to be safe. His eyes flickered to hers, seeing that she was waiting for his response. "No. I am not a time traveler." He answered quietly.

Elijah expected her to ask another question. A part of him feared that her wild imagination might finally cause her to ask the right one. But instead of saying anything more, Hayley just nodded her head, satisfied that he had answered her truthfully. Instead, she embraced him quickly. It was a rare moment of affection that either of them ever received. She was now big enough that Elijah didn't have to kneel down. He felt her small heart racing and her quick breathing.

"I'm sorry I was mean to you." Hayley whispered into his chest.

"It's quite alright." He reassured her as he looked up to see that it would be twilight in a few minutes. "Come on. Let's get you home." He muttered softly.

Even though Hayley didn't want to go home, Elijah made everything better somehow. She nodded, pulling away. With the sun practically gone, it had become even colder than before. She shook a little when a gust of wind hit them. Elijah immediately noticed the reaction. "Are you cold?" He asked her. But Hayley shook her head. He knew she was lying as he took off his suit coat and draped it around her shivering shoulders. When she gave him her hand to hold, it was cold as ice.

Hayley leaned her head against Elijah's arm as they started walking down the hill and back toward her house. Just like last time, they talked about random things. Not once did she say anything about her family. But Elijah seemed to already know her parents were the reason for finding her upset. And just like usual, Hayley never asked him any questions. He didn't realize that she wanted to. But somehow she knew that he wouldn't be able to answer them…at least, not yet.

However, halfway through their walk, Hayley stopped and let go of Elijah's hand. She turned to look up at him. "Elijah, why are we friends?"

He tilted his head and thought about the question. "Would you wish for us to no longer be friends?" But when he thought about it, if she didn't ever want o see him again, he honestly didn't know if he could follow her wishes. Did he even have the strength to stay away from her?

"No. I don't want that." Hayley whispered, almost sounding insulted that he even suggested it. "I just don't really get…never mind." She finished lamely. It felt weird asking Elijah why he would be friends with her, but she always wondered about it. He was handsome and unlike any man she'd ever met. And she didn't understand why he kept in contact with her. She'd never told anyone about him, not even her sister, because she knew it would be immediately interpreted as inappropriate. But that wasn't what this was and at least she was sure of that part.

"Hayley…" Elijah started, battling his own inner turmoil with what he allowed himself to say to her. "One day you will understand all of this." He said to her seriously. Then he was surprised when she broke out into laughter.

"That just confused me more." She said between laughs. It was the first time she smiled since he'd found her that day. He realized it was unusual how little she laughed and smiled for being so young.

Elijah smirked at the sound of her laughter. There was never a more pleasant sound in his life. But his enjoyment disappeared when his vampire senses picked up on something in the woods. He looked down the path and found two people a few yards away from him and Hayley: a young man and a woman. Immediately, he knew the man was a vampire. Then it took a few seconds for him to realize the woman was a witch. Hayley followed his gaze. Her smile fell when she saw how seriously Elijah was watching them. He stepped in front of Hayley protectively; blocking any view the two of them had of her.

"Feeding on children? I must say, even for me, that is quite twisted." The vampire said as he and the witch walked slowly toward them. He smelled the air with a sneer. "Though, I have to admit she smells delectable."

"Take another step and I promise, it will be your death." Elijah said evenly.

"We're not here for a fight, Elijah." The witch finally spoke. "Only to give you a message…from Klaus." She said with a malicious smirk. Elijah didn't lose his composure at the mention of his brother. But inside, he hadn't expected anything like this. He didn't say anything to either of them.

"He knows you've been trying to track him. Since you're his brother, he will give you one and final warning: stop looking for him. If you don't, he will dagger and throw you to sea to join the rest of your siblings." The witch repeated the message just as Klaus had instructed.

"Or…" The vampire intervened as he tilted his head, looking at Hayley who peaked around Elijah's frame. "…We could take the girl and bring her to Klaus. I'm sure he would enjoy that more than killing you." Somewhere in their conversation he realized that Elijah did not have the child at his side to feed from her, it was something deeper than that. The witch quickly turned her attention to the vampire. Apparently he was no longer following the plan. "Think about how fun it would be. Klaus could raise her just like a puppy! She would be quite a pet." The vampire laughed darkly. But he was a fool for testing an original.

Elijah's jaw tightened under such threats. If they recognized how important Hayley was to him, then they needed to be killed. If he didn't, they would inform Klaus of her existence and Hayley would forever be in danger. Elijah shot forward, grabbing the witch by her neck, snapping it and dropping her corpse to the ground in just mere seconds.

But then Elijah heard Hayley scream his name. He looked up to see that the vampire had made his way to her the moment Elijah headed for the witch. The vampire's forearm was around her neck, with his hand gripping her hands in front of her, stopping her from moving them at all. The vampire's fangs were out and they lingered over Hayley neck teasingly as he sneered at Elijah.

"It doesn't matter if you kill me. We have already told Klaus about her." The vampire raised his eyebrows.

Elijah's gaze darkened. "I know a lie when I hear one." He growled.

The vampire expected such a reaction and smiled at it. "Am I?" He mocked. "If I were, how would I already know that the girl's name is Hayley? A certain witch recited a prophecy to you about her." He tilted his head, knowing that he'd given enough proof for Elijah to finally believe him. "Your old witch spilled. What was her name? Oh right, Cassandra. Yes. Actually, she told us right before we killed her."

Elijah's rage and fury was only building up to an even more disturbing danger. But on the outside, he appeared completely composed and unaltered. He allowed himself to glance at Hayley. Even from his distance, Elijah was able to see that she was shaking. Fear had taken over.

"I think I'll just take her now. Save myself another trip." The vampire thought out loud. But Elijah humored him long enough. His victim couldn't be even a hundred years old yet. His brother must have become desperate for companions and slaves. Elijah ripped his hold off of Hayley and shoved him against a tree so hard that it cracked under the contact. Elijah ripped his heart out without showing a second of mercy. For threatening Hayley, he deserved a slow and painful death. But Elijah couldn't give him the proper punishment while Hayley stood watching.

Elijah turned around to see that she was crying, but her eyes were filled also with shock and horror. He locked down at his hand to see it was covered in blood. As if things weren't already complicated enough, there was no way of explaining this to a 12-year-old girl. Elijah quickly wiped his hand so it was no longer covered in blood. Then he carefully walked toward her, cautious of every step.

The second that he was just a foot away, Hayley broke into hysterics. She took a step backwards, but was too terrified to see the large branch right behind her. Her foot caught it, causing her to fall to the ground. Elijah couldn't stand the way she was looking at him. He held his hands at his sides, hoping it would stop her fear. "Hayley…I would never hurt you." His voice was desperate.

Her tears had stopped, leaving her eyes blood-shot and her cheeks moist. She still wore his suit jacket that engulfed her small body. The back of it was covered in fallen leaves from tripping. She didn't know why, but her fear was slowly fading. She suddenly realized that Elijah would never hurt her. He only hurt those people because they were going to take her. Hayley felt safe with him and she didn't understand where the security had come from.

Elijah offered his hand to her. Hayley stared at it for a moment before grabbing it. The second she was back on her feet, she threw her arms around him. Her face was buried into Elijah's chest as she felt his arms on her back. "It's alright. You're safe." He whispered soothingly. She had started crying again. "I will never allow anyone to harm you." He promised her.

Elijah looked around. Night had officially fallen. There was no guarantee that his brother hadn't sent more slaves to do his dirty work. He glanced at the dead bodies. He would come back for them later. Right now, his biggest concern was getting Hayley home safely. Elijah gently scooped her up in his arms. She didn't give any struggle or oppose it, completely trusting him. "Close her eyes." He muttered quietly. He didn't want her to look at the bodies any longer or see him moving at vampire speed.

Within seconds, he was standing at Hayley's front door. Her family was gone. There were no heartbeats present inside. Elijah was too preoccupied to wonder how they could just leave her alone. He looked down at Hayley, whose eyes were still shut tightly. "Hayley, will you invite me inside?" He asked gently.

She opened her eyes and showed surprise when she realized they were already at her house. "Come in." She said through her exhaustion. Elijah didn't hesitate as he opened the front door. He went upstairs and knew instantly what bedroom was Hayley's; her scent filled it. He gently laid her on the unmade bed, pulling the covers around her.

Hayley was in between sleep and awake. Elijah wanted to leave her like that, but he couldn't allow her to remember the night's events. Even grown men were unable to handle witnessing such things. He couldn't live with himself knowing all of it would haunt this child.

"Hayley." He whispered loud enough to wake her. The shock and terror had drained her. A few seconds later, her eyes fluttered open. Elijah leaned forward, locking gazes with her. "You must forget tonight's events. You will only remember seeing me, and our walk back to your home. You'll be safe here." He compelled her. Then he pulled away slightly, just to speak with her. "I must go." He told her sadly.

"Please stay. You only just got here." Hayley muttered sleepily.

"I cannot. I will not come back for quite some time." He informed her honestly. "It is not safe for me to be near you. Do not invite anyone into your house that you do not fully know, Hayley. Do you understand?" His voice was strict and serious. She nodded her head at his instruction.

"Do you promise you'll come back?" Hayley whispered.

"I give you my word."

Hayley seemed content that he would keep his promise, for she quickly fell back asleep. Elijah paused just a moment before leaving the room. He wouldn't be back for a long time. That was all he knew right now. By continuing to visit, he'd put her in danger. Now Klaus knew of her existence. But all Elijah could do was hope that his brother was only aware of her name. Elijah understood if he stayed away, Klaus would leave her be. He hoped that the vampire was bluffing when he said he'd already informed Klaus about Hayley. It would be better if Elijah made her forget about him completely, but he was too selfish to do such a thing. And it would only make things harder in the end.

* * *

**EHHHH OHHHH. It's 4 oclock in the morning. I have issuesssssssss.**


	3. Part III

**First of all, sorry for how long it took to update. But I believed I made up for it with how long the chapter is. Second, I'm sorry if there are a few errors. I was eager to put this up and I kind of speed-edited. Third, thank you for the reviews/follows/favorites. It is EXACTLY what keeps me going. ENJOY!**

* * *

**2010**

Hayley thanked the clerk before she grabbed all of her things from the desk. He waved her goodbye as she rushed out of the art store, her hands full of the brand new supplies she just bought. The door chimed as she pushed it open with her back. There were about half a dozen canvases awkwardly in her arms along with her giant purse. Hayley was focused on carrying all of it without dropping anything. But a group of kids ran past her suddenly. They were all wearing costumes, probably on their way to go trick-or-treating. It was late afternoon on Halloween.

Hayley hadn't seen them coming and dodged the group just to run into someone else. As a result, she dropped all of her things. "Shit!" She hissed. "I'm so sorry." She said to whomever she ran into as she started picking up the things.

"It's quite alright. Let me help you." The sound of his voice, covered in a thick accent, caused Hayley to look up quickly. Her blue-green eyes were met with grey-blue ones. His attractiveness caught her off guard, just for second. He was taller than her, a rarity for her towering frame. His hair was dirty blonde, short, but curly. With his shirtsleeves rolled up, Hayley was able to tell he had a lean body. Then she realized he had all of her things in his hands.

"Thank you." Hayley said sincerely as she grabbed them from him.

He glanced at the art supplies with interest. "Are you an artist?"

She laughed and shook her head quickly. "Definitely not." She shifted uncomfortably. "It's just something I do for fun."

"Well, those are quite a few things to be buying for something you only do for fun." He countered with a smile. But there was seriousness in what he said.

"Yeah…my sister gave me a gift card for my birthday. And I guess I got a little ahead of myself."

"Well then, Happy Birthday." He hummed at her, as he took a step forward.

Hayley narrowed his eyes at such a response. "Aren't you the charmer?" She teased him. "The blue eyes, the British accent, and those dimples…they work to your advantage, don't they?" She raised her eyebrow at him, proving that she wasn't falling for his methods. She felt like he was trying to seduce her instead of just talking and it bothered her.

His smile disappeared, and Hayley swore she saw slip of anger in those pretty eyes of his. "Just trying to see what all the fuss is about." He replied quietly. And he knew immediately that she'd caught it. Her head tilted and she watched him closely. But then Hayley shrugged her shoulders, deciding she didn't want to ask what he meant. She cleared her throat and heaved all her things up, making sure she didn't drop them all over the place again. It would just give another chance to be charming toward her.

"Sorry again…for running into you. I should probably head home." Hayley told him casually. She waited for him to say something, but he just seemed to be thinking about something as he gazed at her. "Right…okay." Hayley laughed anxiously, starting to walk past him to her car. She paused and looked over her shoulder at him. "Happy Halloween." She told him sincerely with a smile.

Hayley got into her car, driving away. When she looked into her rear view mirror, she saw the spot where she'd left him. But the mysterious guy had disappeared. She shrugged her shoulders, choosing to ignore the weird vibe she had got from him. It felt familiar but also foreign at the same time.

When Hayley's phone started ringing, she jumped a little in her seat. Then, realizing how ridiculous she was being, her fingers ran through her hair and she let out a sigh. "Hello?" She answered.

"Please, please, please, tell me you're going to the party tonight!" Her friend Janet begged on the other end. Hayley couldn't help but smile at the pleas.

"Janet, you already know what's going to happen. It's just going to be a bunch of drunken teenagers with the girls in their trashy costumes and all the guys being sleazy. I'm just not in the mood for it tonight." Hayley sighed. "I'd rather be really lame and carve pumpkins while I watch Hocus Pocus."

Janet made a noise showing that she'd given up. Before calling, she'd already known that Hayley wouldn't go. "But it's still technically your birthday weekend! I can't just leave you alone in that house when all of us are at a party."

"Don't worry about me. You know if I get completely bored, I'll just meet you guys at the party. But have fun without me!" She encouraged her friend.

Hayley had just pulled into her driveway when she ended the call. She grabbed all of her things from the trunk of her car. When she got to her front door, a gust of wind blew her blonde-red hair around her shoulders. But that wasn't what caused her to stop shuffling through her purse for her keys. She paused, getting a strange feeling. Hayley quickly turned and looked around at her neighborhood. But there wasn't even a dog to be found. She got these feelings for as long as she could remember. It felt like someone was watching her, not in a creepy way, but as if someone was watching over her.

Two nights ago, on her birthday, she came home to find a box of art supplies on her desk. She had no idea who it could have possibly been. She'd asked all her friends and none of them fessed up. Her sister, Lisa, was living on her own in the city. And her parents had forgotten her birthday all together, too busy being somewhere across the country. There hadn't been a card or any clue left to who it could have left such a gift.

Hayley didn't truly remember Elijah. The last she saw him had been too long ago. Over time, her mind tricked her into forgetting parts after parts of their rare encounters. And the fact that she never talked about her secret friendship with anyone, made it easy for the recollection to slowly slip away. Sometimes, throughout the day, certain things would trigger her memory, like when someone came to the front door. For some reason, she never invited people into her house; always making them wait outside while she grabbed whatever they needed.

When it came to Elijah, Hayley only remembered a man. But she never could remember details of his face; just that he was handsome. Eventually, she convinced herself that he was from a dream. But it was impossible to dream about people you didn't know in real life. So she was left confused once again. There was only one thing Hayley knew for sure, and that was how she'd felt when she was with this shadowy person she wasn't even sure existed. Her memory recalled feeling warm, safe, and loved. It felt too real to be made up.

Hayley shivered a little, giving her whereabouts one last look before going inside. She had broken a record for how many weird vibes and strange feelings a person could get in one day. She slowly walked to the kitchen, dropping her keys onto the granite counter. The sound echoed through the house. It was just another reminder of the emptiness throughout the house and how alone Hayley was inside it. Hayley let out a deep sigh. She'd learn to appreciate it. There was no point in feeling sorry for herself. She'd ended that a long time ago.

Her cell phone started ringing again. She glared at it, expecting it to be Janet, begging her to go to the party again. But the screen read Lisa's name instead. Hayley smiled before quickly answering it.

"Happy Halloween!" Lisa cheered.

"You too." Hayley laughed. "What's going on?" Her and Lisa were not only sisters, but they were best friends. It was hard having her live on her own now. But Hayley was happy for her. She just missed seeing her every day.

"Nothing, really. I just wanted to wish you a happy Halloween since it is your favorite holiday. Got any big plans for the night?" She wondered.

"Well, it kind of sucks that it's a Sunday. Janet wanted me to go to this party but it's always the same thing. The cops usually break it up not even two hours in anyway." Before Lisa could judge, Hayley thought of a joke to stop her sister from encouraging her to go. "I thought I might go trick-or-treating by myself. 18 years old isn't too creepy right?" Hayley added sarcastically.

"Yeah, how about we don't do that?" Lisa commented dryly. Even though she knew Hayley was kidding. But then Lisa heard her sigh on the other end of the phone. Hayley didn't mean to do it. But the sound immediately caught her older sister's attention. "Everything alright over there?" She asked Hayley openly.

But Hayley didn't say anything for a moment. Her finger traced around the strange patterns on her counter. "I have a weird question." She stated honestly.

"…Okay?" Lisa urged slowly.

"Do you ever feel like someone's watching you? Not in a creepy stalker kind of way. But as if someone were watching over you?"

Lisa laughed a little, not taking the question seriously. "Are you talking about a guardian angel or something?" She was basically humoring Hayley. Her little sister had always been imaginative, daydreaming all the time. She didn't want to make Hayley feel like she couldn't be herself around her own sister.

"Yeah, I guess sort of like a guardian angel. Without the whole…religious part." Hayley laughed darkly. Maybe it was something magical that made her feel like she was being looked after.

"Or maybe, it's your fairy godmother?" Lisa teased with a giggle.

Hayley's face twisted. "No, definitely not that."

"Ok, well I have to go to work. Have fun tonight, whatever you choose to do. But be safe!" Lisa demanded, if her little sister ended up going out and being stupid.

"Will did, sis." Hayley sighed as she ended the phone call. Her body felt exhausted from endless streams of sleepless nights. If she were lucky, her body would allow her to take a nap. She decided to at least try. When she got to her room, she opened all the windows, letting the autumn breeze in. Her bedroom instantly became cooler. Now a haze of clouds filled the once sunny sky. Somehow, the red and orange leaves seemed even livelier because of it.

Hayley laid on her bed, staring out the window at the forest just behind her house. She tried so hard to remember things from when she was a child. Why had she forgotten them, almost completely, until now? It was like her memories wanted to be found, like they needed to. While Hayley continued get lost in her thoughts, she gradually went to sleep.

As soon as she was deep enough into her slumber, nightmares and dreams invaded her mind. They were so unusual and strange that she really couldn't be deciphered between the two. To Hayley, they almost felt like memories. But it seemed as if there were pieces missing. The stranger that she tried so hard to remember took over her mind. But she continued to fail at ridding the blur that covered the details of him. Bits of conversations and voices kept repeating through her wish-wash visions. They kept overlapping and getting louder, making it harder for Hayley's mind to concentrate on their meaning. The words kept getting faster and faster, confusing her even more. Then suddenly, it all stopped.

"_It's alright. You're safe. I would never allow anyone to harm you."_

Hayley's eyes snapped open as she shot up in bed. Her breathing was heavy and her forehead was wet with droplets of sweat. The last words were said so clear and slow, there was no way she couldn't remember them after waking up. Her hand went over her chest, feeling the rapid beating of her heart.

She glanced outside to see that it was nighttime. The moon was full, making it feel even more haunting on Halloween night. The shades on her windows kept banging on the pane from the inconsistent gusts of wind. She'd fallen asleep before turning on any lights, leaving her house dark and eerie. But Hayley didn't notice, she was too busy wrapping her brain around those final words.

A plan started forming in her head. She knew it was stupid, compulsive, and dangerous. But she also knew if she was guessing right, it would work. Hayley jumped out of her bed and started getting dressed. She threw on light wash denim skinnies, a baggy t-shirt, her leather jacket, and matching combat boots. Janet would be mad at her for not wearing a costume, but there wasn't any time for that.

A little later, she was walking into a house party. Cups and trash already filled the wooden floors. The music made it nearly impossible to have any conversation, but she knew that was the point. Her hoodie was up as her hands were shoved into her pockets. She moved around the crowded party, saying hi to as few people as possible. In a few minutes, she was able to find Janet and her other friends. They were already significantly drunk, all of them cheering as soon as they spotted Hayley walking toward them.

"You came!" Janet yelled, giving her a sloppy hug as a greeting. Hayley spotted a bottle of tequila as soon as she pulled away. She snatched it, immediately taking a swig. "Someone is eager." Janet giggled.

Hayley wiped her mouth with the back of her sleeve. "I plan on getting into some trouble tonight." She said to her friends. They all broke out into applause, not realizing how very serious she was being. It was all part of the plan.

An hour and a half later, with the help of her friends, Hayley was severely intoxicated. But she was still able to focus on the task at hand. Her friends were almost in worse shape than her, deciding it was probably a good idea to go home. Hayley helped Janet walk out the front door, making sure the got a safe ride home. As soon as she saw them drive away, she stared at her own car. There was no one on the front lawn of the house but her. She knew she was in no condition to drive. But if she had some sort of guardian angel, like her sister said, then they would stop her or save her in some way. Wouldn't they? Hayley fumbled through her pockets to grab her car keys. She had to focus just to get them into the keyhole of her car door.

"Now…I know you weren't planning on driving that car." Someone said behind her. Hayley froze for a second, but then quickly realized that it wasn't the voice she wanted to hear. She turned around to see her friend, Luke, stood a few feet behind her with a beer in his hand. He raised an eyebrow.

"No. I'm not an idiot. I was just going to get my wallet." Hayley lied effortlessly and now realized how stupid her plan was. It would never have been that simple to bring the mystery person out of the shadows.

"Nice costume." Luke joked sarcastically. He was dressed as a Top Gun pilot with a green flight suit and aviators on.

Hayley looked awkwardly down at her outfit. "Yeah…I decided to come a little last minute. I didn't really have time to plan anything." She put up her hands, apologetically for not being more committed. But the small movements combined with her intoxication made her lose her balance a little bit.

"Easy there." Luke said, quickly going to her side. "I think it's time for you to go home." He said carefully.

Hayley laughed. "I think…you're right." Then her smile disappeared as the failure and disappointment washed over her. "Can you drive me home?"

Luke shook her head. "I'm sorry…I would…I want to. But this is like my fifth beer." He explained. "Look, stay here. I'll find you a ride." He started walking back toward the front door, but Hayley stopped him.

"No, you know what? I'll walk home." She declared through slurred words.

"Hayley that will take you an hour." Luke pointed out.

"Probably."

"It's Halloween. There's a bunch of weirdoes out. I'm not letting you walk all the way home by yourself." He declared.

"Whatever. I'm doing it. I'll pick up my car tomorrow." Hayley didn't leave any room for him to stop her. She was already walking down the street. Her abrasiveness made it clear to Luke that she didn't want his company. Perhaps if he were sober, he wouldn't have care and gone with her anyway.

Hayley threw her hood up and shoved her hands into her leather jacket's pockets again. There were two routes she could take. The first was to stay on the main roads but it would take an hour, just like Luke stated. The other was to cut through neighborhoods, making her go through a rougher area of town. But it would take half as long. Since she wasn't in her right mind and a little pissed off, Hayley decided to take the shorter way.

She looked just a few feet in front of her head laid low, fighting the cold. But she suddenly didn't feel alone anymore. Her head picked up to see a man standing just a couple yards ahead of her, completely blocking the sidewalk. He stared at her darkly. Even an idiot would be able to sense that his intentions were anything but good. Hayley stopped abruptly, not saying a word and trying to appear unfazed.

"It's not very smart to walk around this late on your own." He said to her with a smirk. He took a step toward her ever so slowly. Hayley pulled her hands out of her pockets, getting prepared to do whatever it took to defend herself. She was a fast runner, but something in the back of her mind told her she wouldn't be able to outrun this man. "It's Halloween night, you never know what kind of people could be wandering about." The man spoke again.

Hayley didn't want to overreact but she also didn't want to die. There was no point in waiting to make a run for it. She quickly turned the other way to escape. But she ran into a second person. Hayley let out a gasp. It was a girl with black hair, dark skin, and eyes so green that they were terrifying. And she seemed to be with him. This didn't feel normal. What would these two people want with her? Hayley wondered. With all her strength, she pushed the girl out of her way. It was like trying to push a brick wall. But somehow, Hayley managed to at least shove past her. Instantly, her legs flew into a sprint that was worthy of a track star. But before she even reached the end of the street. Both of her attackers were calmly standing ahead of her. Hayley's combat boots skidded to a stop. _That's impossible._ She thought.

"What the fuck is going on?" Hayley whispered to herself. Both of them heard her and the girl rushed forward in a distortion. Now she was inches away from her face. "What…what are you?" Hayley gasped, unaware that she had said it aloud.

But the woman's only response was her eyes darkening, veins popping out, and fangs unleashing themselves. Hayley's eyes widened with horror at the sight. But she refused to go into shock. She quietly slipped her set of keys from her pocket. The second they were gripped in her fist, Hayley thrashed them across the girl's face and tried to make a run for it again. She heard her scream out in pain. But Hayley was only able to make it a few feet before someone grabbed her by the head and threw her to the ground. There was so much force behind it that her body slid across the rough pavement. Hayley rolled over onto her back and realized she now lay in the middle of the street. She tried to feel if she was injured and realized her right hand was bent in an unnatural way. When she tried to move it, she yelled out in pain. There was a jean rip over one of her knees, and she saw that there was blood covering the fabric around the opening.

"Scott! The fucking bitch cut me!" The girl screamed in fury a few yards away.

The man now hovered over Hayley. Stopping any chances of her being able to get up. His eyes found the cut on her knee and instantly, his features matched those of his partner. His jaw hung open, allowing Hayley to see his fangs. Then he looked just past her body. She followed his gaze to see that her wallet and cellphone had fallen out of her pocket. But it was obvious that they didn't want money. If they were the creatures she believed they were, the two of them wanted something scarier.

The man roughly grabbed her by the collar, ripping her off the ground. Hayley winced in pain, realizing that she had so many other injuries. Her body was bruised and broken, making it impossible to fight any longer.

"I always loved a girl with fire." The guy whispered to her. The feeling of his breath on her neck made Hayley feel sick. "I swear, it makes the blood taste even better." His mouth was at her neck. He grazed his fangs across her skin, but didn't bite into her neck yet. He wanted to hear her heart race from fear; her body frozen, before he enjoyed the feed.

"Scott, wait!" The girl was right next to him. He pulled away, annoyed, to see that she had Hayley's wallet in her hands. "What was the name of the girl that belonged to the originals…the one that's off limits? Klaus or his brother will kill us if she is." She asked him seriously.

Scott rolled his eyes angrily. "Hayley? Who cares?" He growled. But the other vampire slowly showed him the license inside the wallet. There was a slight flicker of emotion as he read the name on it. "It's a coincidence. Stop being paranoid." He turned his attention back to Hayley. As a last effort to save her life or give her just a few more seconds of life, Hayley tried to stab her keys into his side with her good hand. But Scott saw this coming and stopped the assault right before it drove into him. He twisted her hand; causing so much pain that she had no choice but drop the keys. The next thing she felt was his fangs ripping into her neck.

As Hayley felt the life being slowly drained, her mind wandered. What a fool she had been for thinking she had some sort of guardian angel, some savior to protect her from any danger that threatened her. Now she believed she'd been so imaginative as a child that the mysterious man had been completely made up, an imaginary friend. It didn't matter if she died. Her parents would pretend to care. The only people that would truly be hurt were her sister, Janet, and just hardly a handful of other friends. It was better that they killed her rather than someone more loved.

But just before Hayley lost all hope of survival, she was let go. It came out of nowhere that she collapsed to the ground, only able to hold up her body with her forearms. She looked up to see that there was someone else there now. His back was to hers. Then she felt a drop of some kind of liquid and looked down to see that the bite on her neck was dripping blood all over her hands.

"We didn't know she was the one." The girl immediately said to the stranger. Hayley was confused when she heard the fear in the vampire's voice.

"I wasn't going to kill her." Scott lied in his panic.

Hayley wondered if her life had even been saved. The two vampires obviously feared this man. If he were even more dangerous, shouldn't she fear him just as much? But before she could think about it any longer, the sight in front of her interrupted her thoughts. In a second, the stranger had chopped off both of the vampires' heads only with his hand. But Hayley still didn't know if she should feel more terror or be relieved. She attempted to stand up and then realized a light post was only a few feet away. Using it for balance, she managed to get up. But once she stood, she was only able to put weight on one of her legs. Her good arm cradled her broken hand against her chest, keeping it from moving.

Then the man finally turned around, allowing her to finally see his face. She squinted at him. A weird sensation spread throughout her body, a feeling of familiarity. Her heart raced, not from fear, but from recognition. "Elijah?" Hayley whispered, completely unaware of where the name had come from. How had it come to her so easily now? She blinked a few times, the trauma finally hitting her. With all of the alcohol still in her system also, it started becoming hard to focus.

Elijah looked over her body, observing the condition she was in. His attention immediately shot to the gash in her neck from the vampire. It still dripped thick red blood. Then her lids flickered. Hayley swayed away from the light post, about to collapse to the pavement. But he was next to her second. She could only feel him at her side since her eyes refused to focus on anything.

Elijah feared she would die if he didn't do something immediately. She had lost a lot of blood and was probably suffering from more injuries than he could even see. Without thinking about it any longer, he bit into his wrist.

"Hayley, drink the blood." He instructed firmly as he held it just under her mouth. She hesitated at the command. None of it made any sense. What world had she been thrown into? "You won't even make it to the hospital if you don't drink it." Elijah pushed further, hoping he could scare her enough to take it. A few more seconds of hesitancy and she finally put her mouth to his wrist, reluctantly drinking the vampire blood. He let out a sigh of relief.

Hayley stepped away, looking Elijah in the eyes. As if it were the first time seeing him ever. Elijah waited, expecting her to say something. She knew who he was. He swore he'd heard her gasp his name. But instead of Hayley saying anything, her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she fell into Elijah's arms. He glanced around to see if anyone still hadn't noticed the scene that had unfolded. But it was the middle of the night. And the street was just as dead as when he'd arrived.

Elijah barely even glanced at the two headless corpses. He would send someone to clean up the mess. His focus was on someone else. He picked Hayley up into his arms and sped off at vampire speed. She should be fine now that she had his blood in her system. But if for some reason she died from her injuries, she would become a vampire.

* * *

Hayley slept on his couch. Fortunately, her breathing was deep and even, proving she was bouncing back from her injuries. A square of moonlight fell on her body perfectly. It made her pale skin glow and her blonde-red hair shimmer as it fanned around her head. Elijah took all of her in. Earlier, he was too concerned about her life and the other vampires to truly look at her.

It was the first time seeing Hayley since he left her when she was twelve. But he hadn't left her; he'd abandoned her. It wasn't until the night of her birthday that he had returned. Except, he wouldn't let her see him because he knew he wouldn't be able to keep away. Even earlier today, Elijah knew she could sense his presence, watching from such a far distance.

But it wasn't until now he could see the changes in her since he'd first laid eyes on her. Hayley was no longer a child. The beautiful young woman that now slept in front of him overcame Elijah. She was tall and very thin, her body feminine in a model's way. Her long legs took up the entire couch that she laid on. He moved his gaze up, taking in her features. Her lips, full and pink, were slightly parted as she breathed in her sleep. There were small shadows cast on her cheeks from her strong cheekbones. Her eyelashes were thick and dark with her eyes closed.

Elijah tried not to think about how she could have died had he not found her in time. He'd gone to her house, finally believing it was time to face her. But she was nowhere to be found. He didn't know how or why, but Elijah felt like he needed to find her. As soon as he saw her abandoned car at the party, he knew she would need him. But he still didn't understand why she would walk alone so late at night. It was like she had been looking for trouble.

Hayley then stirred in her sleep. Her eyes slowly opened and then immediately caught Elijah's. The blue-green color that had mesmerized him at the very start was exactly the same. Her expression was hesitant and uneasy. "You're real." Hayley gasped as she slowly sat up. He couldn't stop the satisfaction when he heard her heartbeat speed up. He smirked at how amazing she found his presence. Then her forehead creased in confusion. "You saved my life." She stated, even though he was already well aware.

"You look exactly the same." Hayley whispered, still staring at him as if he would disappear at any second. "It's because you're one of them isn't it?" She urged. Elijah wondered how much she had picked up that night. Apparently, it was a lot. "You're a vampire." She stated, waiting for an indication that she was right. It wasn't any more outrageous than what she had believed as a child. Before, she'd questioned if Elijah was a time traveler, a ghost, and not that long ago, a guardian angel. He just silently nodded his head for a response.

"How are you feeling?" Elijah finally spoke.

That's when Hayley realized she wasn't sensing all the pain from before. She glanced down at her body in amazement. There was still soreness and a headache but other than that, all of her broken bones had been healed.

"I'm fine." She said. He nodded his head.

This was nothing like the other times they were together. Hayley seemed to feel it to, for she looked around his apartment. "You've never taken me anywhere but home before." She spoke softly to herself. Now that he was there, all their past encounters came flooding back into her memory.

"You were just a child. The circumstances were quite different." Elijah said as he looked down at the ground. He looked over to see that Hayley was now lost in her thoughts. This meeting would be different; they both knew that.

"What is this?" Hayley finally whispered.

Elijah avoided her intense gaze. "You have been through quite a lot. You should rest." He advised as he started to get up from his seat at the coffee table that was only a foot or two away from the couch.

"No. That's not going to work." Hayley surprised him by retorting. When she realized she had his attention, she continued. "I deserve to know the truth. You've been sheltering me ever since we met. I may not remember much but that's probably because I never really knew the whole story." Her stubbornness was shining. She'd possessed it as a child too, but now it was mixed with confidence.

After a slight hesitation, Elijah nodded his head, knowing that it was true. She had the right to be frustrated. He'd kept her in the dark for years and years. A long time ago, he'd promised Hayley he would tell her everything. That day had come. He just wasn't any more prepared for it now than he had been then.

Hayley moved her legs so they hugged against her chest, leaving the other side of the couch open. Elijah took the seat with his posture and demeanor so well mannered. He motioned with his hand for her to ask anything she wished. Her eyes were already narrowed at him, trying to read him.

"Why did you keep coming back? I was so young. I don't understand what your motives were." Hayley said carefully to him. "I still don't." She added quietly.

Elijah wanted to tell her absolutely everything. But explaining that a powerful witch had recited a prophecy, foreseeing they were meant for one another, would only scare her. He was sure of it. How unfair would it be to throw such expectation onto her young heart? Elijah was set on giving her a choice. Prophecy or no prophecy, he wasn't going to drag her into the world of the supernatural unless it was what she wished. Even though she'd fallen into it a few times already.

"I was told, by a witch, to save you." He took in a deep breath. "Her magic was something I have never dealt with and cannot explain it to you for I have yet to understand it myself." His thoughts wandered to that night. "I saw flickers of you in a vision. It was never foretold when or where I would find you."

Hayley could already sense that there were parts Elijah was leaving out. But she kept quiet, still appreciating what she was figuring out. "You knew, even when I was that young? You knew who I was?" She whispered in shock. He nodded his head calmly. She shook her head at the thought. "So you were supposed to save me from those two?" Hayley asked him darkly.

There was a beat of silence. "Although, it may be hard to believe, there are things in this world that are more horrifying than vampires." Elijah stated darkly. He spoke of a darkness that could consume her. To him, that was more terrifying than any werewolf or vampire. But that was the one thing he was certain of: waiting to clarify what exactly he was meant to save her from.

"Why did you have to keep leaving?" Hayley asked sadly. "Why couldn't you just stay?" Now she was imagining how different her life would have been. Just having him, someone so kind and supportive, at her side.

"There are troublesome aspects of my life that I refuse to involve you in. It is never safe to associate with vampires. I did it to protect you from my enemies." Elijah said seriously, hoping she could detect the honesty in what he spoke.

"They said something about you…I think they called you an original or something. But they talked about more than one." Hayley was thinking aloud, trying to remember their precise words. The alcohol and trauma were not helping.

Elijah's gaze shot up when she said that they had mentioned more than one original. He stood up and walked to the window, hoping it would stop her from noticing his mild worry at the thought of Niklaus. "What exactly did they say?" He hoped it would clear up how much his brother knew about her.

Hayley ran her fingers through her hair, concentrating on the memory. "Um…she said I was off limits because I belonged to the originals." He muttered quickly as soon as she remembered. "She said someone's name…not yours. It was a name I've never heard before…Klaus! She said that if I was harmed, he would kill whoever was responsible." Once she said it aloud, she became confused. After reciting it, she then realized how strange it sounded. "What does that mean? Who's Klaus?" She asked Elijah carefully. He seemed to become tensed as soon as she brought up the strange name. Tension filled the room.

"Niklaus is my brother." Elijah responded coldly with his arms crossed.

"So that means the other original they were talking about was you." Hayley confirmed. "Apparently, everyone thinks I belong to the two of you." She didn't hide the annoyance in her voice when she said it. She didn't belong to anyone. Even if she was the weaker species, she was no one's property.

Just for a moment, Elijah's seriousness faltered as a small smirk appeared. He couldn't help but find her reaction amusing. "You belong to no one." He confirmed, showing he caught what she'd meant. "That was never my intention when I made the threat well known in the vampire world." His eyes turned to look out the window again at the full moon as he spoke. In the corner of his vision, he saw Hayley carefully get up from the couch. He turned around to find her not even a foot away from him. His eyes gazed into hers.

"You haven't looked at me once tonight. It seems like you are, but you haven't actually looked at me." Hayley whispered softly. And it was true. Elijah had continued to try and tear his stare away at every chance. It was only when she had been asleep that he allowed himself to truly perceive her. Fully knowing he wouldn't reply, Hayley continued. Her eyes went to the ground. "It wasn't just about saving my life, was it?" She muttered. "There was more to this…prophecy."

Elijah questioned when she had scene through his façade. He wondered if she was able to see, even now, the feelings he had for her. He'd made a promise that he wouldn't tell her that part of the witch's vision until later. But she'd figured it out on her own so he doubted there was even a point to lying any longer. After a moment, he nodded his head, displaying that her predictions were correct.

Hayley didn't know what made her do it, a pull of some sort. But she found herself gently placing her palm on the side of Elijah's cheek. As soon as their skin made contact, the strange sensation started in her heart and spread through the rest of her body. "Do you feel that?" She gasped.

The entire time, Elijah couldn't stop staring at her eyes. "I felt it the day I met you. I believe it's stronger for me than it is for you." He laughed lightly. It felt strange finally talking about all of this with her. After all the time waiting, he thought it would be easier when she actually knew the truth. But he was lost, completely unaware of what to do. Except, he suddenly found his hands moving to the small of her back. His body yearned for the touch of her skin.

Hayley discovered herself playing with the knot of his tie. Then her eyes slowly moved up to his. She tilted her head up. Elijah could hear her breathing falter, unsure of herself. She was waiting for him to stop her, for him to say that it wasn't right. But Elijah planned on doing nothing of the sort. To prove it, he closed the distance between their lips the second before they touched. Their kiss was fast and passionate. It was like fate controlled them, tired of waiting for them to truly be together. He felt her hand against his cheek while the other grazed up his neck. In response, his grip tightened around her waist, earning him a small gasp from her. From then on, he knew he would never be able to let her go. The reality of their fate was so much sweeter than either of them could have ever imagined. He felt Hayley's heart beating faster and faster as their hunger increased. He gently pulled away. They were at a fragile stage and he would never do anything to ruin it. She was the only good he'd ever had in his life, the only thing he could call his own.

* * *

**Thoughts? Feelings? Emotions? **

**Talk to me, my friends. tell me all of your secrets. MWAHA**


	4. Part IV

**I apologize for the wait, once again. I didn't get that much feedback on the last chapter. And I've been preoccupied with my friends going back to school and for me preparing to do the same. All of it was making me lose any motivation and inspiration to write this. So it was sort of a struggle. **

**But thank you to the few who reviewed the last part. **

* * *

Once Hayley felt Elijah pull away, she looked at the ground. Her cheeks blushed; something Elijah guessed was rare. "I'm…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that." She stuttered quietly. Her finger put a strand of hair behind her ear uncomfortably. "I don't why..." She lamely defended. But Hayley was completely aware of why she did it, as was Elijah. "This must be weird. I'm still a child to you." She laughed nervously.

Hayley looked up to see that he was about to say something. But she didn't want to hear it, whether he disagreed or agreed with her statement. There was a certain panic that had formed inside her. For some reason, she was scared of what Elijah might feel. And she couldn't figure out how she wanted him to feel about her. She just didn't know what she wanted. Finding something to change the subject, Hayley quickly looked down at herself. Although her wounds and broken bones had healed, her clothes were still covered with blood.

"Does this bother you?" She asked him. How could he stand the scent or even the sight of blood? Didn't it make him want to kill her right there?

"It bothers me to see you covered in blood. But not in the way you believe. I have far greater self control than you give me credit for." Elijah stated calmly. Before she'd brought it up, he was about to tell her that he no longer saw her as a child. But it was too late to try and convince her otherwise. He was catching on that she wasn't very good at expressing how she felt. And he assumed their confusing predicament only made it harder for her. But Elijah wouldn't push her.

"I just realized I didn't…" Hayley started. "Thank you…for saving my life." Her hand twisted around her other wrist. "I would've died if you didn't show up."

"May I ask what made you believe walking alone at such an hour was a good idea?" Elijah asked her severely. Now that she was okay, he thought it was appropriate to point out how irresponsible her choice had been.

Hayley took another step away from him. Elijah hated the sight of the space between them. "I was just an idiot." She said it so evenly. There was hardly a jump in her heart rate. Elijah wondered how she got so good at lying.

"Humor me." He added seriously, showing her that he wasn't going to let it go so easily. His arms crossed as he waited for her to continue. In response, Hayley glared at him. She was stubborn and didn't like how well Elijah handled it.

Hayley sighed, seeing no way out of it. "I had a dream…I guess they were more like memories I'd forgotten. But…you said that you'd never let anyone harm me. I thought if I got into some kind of trouble, you would finally show yourself. Obviously I never intended on running into vampires. I didn't even know they existed. But I knew you were out there." Hayley stopped after that. She didn't want to remind herself how pathetic and desperate her plan had been.

Elijah couldn't be mad at Hayley for expecting him to save her, because he couldn't imagine her in danger without him being there to stop it. "Hayley, I hope you are aware of how careless your actions were."

He instantly caught a flicker of anger cross her eyes. "Thanks for the condescending tip, but I think I figured it out on my own." Hayley almost hissed at him. "Almost dying is punishment enough, I don't really need a lecture too." Then, like a switch, her eyes looked down at the ground as they filled with sadness. "I didn't know what else to do…I thought if I found you I could…" Then Hayley stopped abruptly, realizing she didn't want to finish what she was about to say. Her eyes glanced over at her leather jacket that Elijah had folded so nicely over the arm of the couch. She hastily marched over and grabbed it. "I should probably get home." She muttered without look at him. But when she took a few steps to the doorway, he was already standing in her path. She watched him carefully.

"You're still recovering from traumatic injuries. I'd prefer if you stayed here for the night." Elijah said seriously. But he really wanted to tell her that he wasn't ready for her to go. Usually he was the one doing the leaving, not her.

"I'm fine. I just want to take a shower and go to bed. Besides, this is usually the point where you leave anyway." Hayley said bleakly. It wasn't until now that Elijah was able to truly see the darkness that he refused to believe could destroy her. Just in this conversation, he could tell it was hard for her to trust him. And he hated how it reminded him of the brother he was trying so hard to end.

Hayley took a step to get around Elijah, but he followed. Then he took a step closer, leaving only inches between their faces. "When your rage consumes you, your only solution is to run." He said slow and evenly. The jump in her heartbeat only further proved he was right. "Even though it is hard for you to remember…I can recall every detail of our encounters." He added more softly. "I am not a stranger, Hayley. The sooner you admit it to yourself, the easier it will be for you to trust me." He didn't break eye contact as he waited for her to give any sort of response. She wasn't used to such things being said to her and it made her uncomfortable.

Hayley shifted her weight anxiously. And just like that, her anger disappeared. She realized how horrible she was acting toward him. And she never knew why she did it. The reaction had just grown into a habit. Hayley was so used to being ignored or left alone that she learned not to expect anything from anyone. As a result, she reacted in the worst way possible when Elijah did the exact opposite. He exceeded every expectation she wouldn't admit to having.

"Even if I did allow you to leave…" Elijah started. "You have no idea where you are." He raised an eyebrow at her with a smirk. The seriousness from his last statement had disappeared. Now he found her stubbornness and emotionlessness entertaining, and for some reason, slightly endearing.

Hayley glared and grabbed her phone from her jacket. "It must be hard remembering what century you live in. But in this one, we have technology." Her dry sarcasm only made Elijah smile even more. He knew she had expected him to be more insulted than entertained by her comment. Without replying, he took the jacket out of her hands and put it on the kitchen counter next to them. It was his polite way of telling her there was no way she was leaving.

Hayley didn't even bother protesting. This fight was an unfair one. He was a vampire and she was human. Clearly the odds were not in her favor. Then she thought of something. Her eyes narrowed and her arms crossed. "So you're a vampire, and apparently an original. Whatever _that_ means." It may seem odd that she handled the idea of vampires existing so well. But it was only because her mind was a very imaginative one already. Her thoughts were always filled with fantasy and unrealistic things. Perhaps her heart yearned for the oddness so much that when it came, she believed it quite easily.

"How old are you?" Hayley asked him, unable to hide her curiosity.

Elijah took a step closer to her. But this time, she stood her ground. "I am over a thousand years old." He stated calmly. Even though Hayley kept a straight face, he could read her surprise by the jump of her heart.

"I didn't realize you were such an old man." She tilted her head with mischief in her eyes. Humor, sarcasm, and cleverness were her ways of dealing with life.

Elijah took another step toward her, deciding he would play her game. "An old man that you just kissed, may I remind you?" He took pleasure in seeing her jaw clench from clearly losing their little game. He looked down at her clothing. All the fun was instantly misplaced when he was thrashed back to reality. "If you wish, you may use the bathroom. Anything that would make you feel more comfortable." Elijah said with the manners of a true gentleman. He didn't notice that the kindness caught Hayley off guard. Even as a child, she would notice certain gestures that she'd never spotted with any other boy or man. But it didn't mean that she was used to them.

"Thank you." She replied meekly. When he said such genuine things, it was hard for her to reply with her usual sarcasm. Then she looked up to see his hand pointed to an open door. Hayley slowly walked toward it to see a bedroom.

For the first time that night, she noticed the apartment he'd taken her to. To call it an apartment was an understatement, seeing as it was more like a penthouse. It was lavishly decorated and was probably worth millions of dollars. The floors were made of marble; any carpet seen was lush and extravagant. The walls and doorways were lined with gold intricacies. Chandeliers and exquisite paintings filled all the rooms. Hayley felt like she was in a chateau, not an actually home. She let out a quiet breath when her eyes looked through the windows that covered an entire wall of the room. Brightly lit skyscrapers filled the view. The apartment seemed to be fairly high up in the city sky. Then she realized they were in the city, a solid drive away from the quiet suburbs where her home was.

"The bathroom is right through there." Elijah's voice said just a foot or two behind her. The sound made Hayley jump as she quickly turned around. She'd been lost in admiring the incredible view. Her eyes followed his to a closed door at the other side of the bedroom. Without saying a word, she quickly open and closed the door behind her. Just like the rest of the place, the bathroom was fancy and finely decorated. Hayley looked at her reflection in the mirror and felt like she was looking at a stranger. Yes, her clothes were covered in blood and her skin was horrible purple and black from the countless bruises. But what caught her attention was the difference that she could not figure out. Her eyes were brighter and her skin seemed to be glowing. It was like a switch had been turned on inside of her. But then Hayley rubbed her eyes with her hands, feeling like she was losing it. And without looking at the mirror again, she stripped her clothes off and jumped in the huge shower, heating the water as far as possible.

Scorching hot water trickled down her body. Hayley glanced down at the drain to see some of it was died a disturbing red. Although the blood was being washed away, her problems were far from gone. Her mind wandered to Elijah. She couldn't understand why she was acting so strange, being cruel to him instead of just savoring his very presence. But that was when she was a child and didn't understand the complexity of their relationship. Now her feelings confused and irritated her. She didn't know why her heart beat faster every time she saw him. Or why his gaze would never let her look away.

Hayley was unaware of how much time had passed. But she was done being a coward and hiding from him. She turned off the water and grabbed the black towel from the rack, wrapping it around her body. She glanced at the pile of clothes on the bathroom floor. There was no point in showering if she was going to put them back on. She knotted the towel around her, making sure it was secure. Opening a few drawers, she managed to find a comb. But that was the only utensil that seemed to be useful to her in any way. Hayley gazed at her reflection one last time before leaving the bathroom.

She stopped abruptly when she saw Elijah's back to her. He was in the bedroom, staring out the window just as she had before entering the bathroom. Then she realized how wrong she appeared, just standing in only a towel. But then she'd convinced herself that Elijah couldn't see her in such a way.

But just then he turned around to face her. Although, to Hayley, he remained poised. Elijah was not expecting to find her standing in nothing but a towel with her hair combed and wet. Her long legs were even more exposed than before. Elijah looked up to see her look quiet uncomfortable as she put a wet strand of hair behind her ear. Hayley didn't realize how much she was begging for him to take her right there. Elijah may be good at controlling his blood thirst, but this was something entirely different. She was completely unaware of her effects on him.

"Sorry. I didn't expect you to be in here." Hayley said without looking him in the eye. She shifted her weight.

"I apologize for intruding. I only wished to see if you needed any clothes." Elijah said properly. A small smirk appeared on his lips, verifying that he was attentive to her lack of clothing, unlike she believed.

But Hayley said nothing. She refused to ask for anything from him. It was unlike her to be dependent and needy on others. Elijah instantly recognized this and took a step closer to her. "Unfortunately, all I possess is-" He began.

"Is suits?" Hayley interrupted. She never noticed his wardrobe when she was younger. It was old fashioned and that of a gentleman. But now, she grasped how much of his attire reflected his vampire nature. It reminded her that he didn't actually belong in this time.

Elijah cleared his throat and put his hands into his pant pockets. "I am afraid so." He said with amusement dancing in his eyes.

But Hayley was then confused at how a wave of relief washed over her. Then she realized she was glad that he didn't have any other clothes. He could have offered women's clothes from someone he once knew, perhaps a lover. Hayley recognized that she'd just barely missed the feelings of jealously.

Elijah then gestured to another door in the extravagant bedroom. She assumed it was his closet. She hadn't realized this was his bedroom until now. Her feet slowly walked toward the closet. She could feel Elijah following close behind.

Hayley opened the door to find a huge closet with countless suits, dress shirts, and tailored pants. Shoes lined one wall, all shined to perfection. She looked down at her black towel and touched her wet hair. Suddenly, she didn't feel like she belonged in this place. Elijah stepped past her to a set of wooden drawers. He grabbed a white, sleeveless, undershirt. Hayley took it carefully from him.

"Use whatever you wish." Elijah said softly to her before leaving the closet and shutting the door behind him. Hayley sighed, as her eyes looked around at all the clothes. She dropped the towel, knowing that Elijah was too much of a gentleman to intrude on her. She threw on the tank top, grabbed a pair of cotton pajama bottoms that she assumed he had never worn.

* * *

Elijah waited in the sitting room area, where he first brought Hayley. It was the most casual part of the estate. There was no need for the whole place to be so lavish but Rebekah had insisted on it. That all happened right before Klaus daggered and threw her to sea. Before the wretched thoughts could overwhelm his mind, Elijah heard Hayley slowly walk into the room.

Her hair was still wet. But the towel had been replaced with his shirt and pants. In the most innocent way, she was absolutely beautiful. Before he could say anything to her, he caught her staring at the wine glass in his hand.

"Is that blood?" Hayley asked quietly. Elijah put down the glass behind him, hoping it would lessen her curiosity. But she took a step forward. "Do you kill people…to drink?" She asked him.

"Not anymore." Elijah stated calmly.

"But you did?"

He nodded. "I have killed more people than you can ever imagine. All of the treacherous things that come with being a vampire, I have been a victim to, just like all the rest." He said all of it so seriously that he heard her heart jump a little bit.

Hayley took in a deep breath. "Why are you telling me this?" She didn't see the point in trying to scare her. If he still saw her as a child, he would have lied. But no matter what he said, she wasn't going to believe it. She knew what she felt and it wasn't what he was trying to force.

"Because under no circumstances do I wish for you to believe that I am good." Elijah said almost sadly.

"But it's not true." She surprised him by saying. "You saved me. If you were evil, I would be dead right now." And it was true.

"One good deed does not make up for lifetimes of murder and suffering. I am a monster, Hayley. I may appear human, but I am far from it." Elijah replied curtly.

Her eyes suddenly shot into his. "Can I see them?" She whispered. For a moment, he tilted his head, about to question what she meant. But then he understood that she was asking to see his eyes and fangs. The two vampires that attacker her didn't hesitate to show their true nature. It was the only reason she knew he was able to do the same thing. She wished to see his true vampire nature. It was something he hadn't exposed for quite some time. He wasn't even able to remember the last time he did.

Elijah shook his head at her request. Although he wanted her to realize he wasn't good, he never wanted her to see him in that state. But as if she could read his mind, her composure softened. And in that moment, the light Hayley had as a child could be seen again.

"You're not going to scare me." She said firmly, yet her tone was gentle.

Elijah watched her for a moment, not wanting to miss a moment of her kindness that she didn't like to show or acknowledge. He finally took a deep breath before showing her what she wanted. He could feel his fangs quickly sliding from his gums while his eyes turned red and veins writhed underneath. His jaw slacked a little since the fangs fought to feed rather than staying inside a closed mouth. Instead of looking into her eyes, he looked at the ground. But then he felt a cold hand on his cheek. His gaze turned to see Hayley watching him with concern and sympathy. Before Elijah knew what was happening his fangs were retracting and his eyes were slowly changing back to normal. Under her touch, it all disappeared.

"See…" Hayley whispered. "You're not a monster. It doesn't control you, you control it." Then, as if she realized how nice she was being, she stepped away. Elijah instantly disliked the separation, wanting nothing more than to keep the feeling of her touch. Hayley didn't know why she felt the need to prove to him that he wasn't a monster. Her brain wanted to believe she owed it to him for saving her life. But truthfully, she did it simply because it hurt her to see that he saw himself in such a way. Then Hayley wondered why she could accept that he'd killed so many people. But then she realized that he killed two more to save her life. A part of her was persuaded that she couldn't hold any of it against him. Elijah wasn't human, just like he said. Vampires attracted death and sorrow. There was no stopping it.

"Why do you refuse it?" Elijah asked her softly.

Hayley squinted and shrugged her shoulders. "What are you talking about?"

"You act as if you are cold and heartless. When someone is the opposite in return, it frightens you. But I can see there are lighter things still within." He told her slowly and carefully. Elijah knew that she there was good still in her. Her parents and the dark world couldn't have destroyed what little light she still possessed.

He expected her to give him a sharp retort or maybe even yell. However, Hayley did neither. Instead, her eyes seem to be filling with tears. But she turned away before he could be sure or before the tears could truly fall. Then she looked around the room again, desperate for something to use. "Well, I guess you have me all figured out, don't you?" She replied as her hand went to her face, making sure no tears had fallen. Even though he was right, she refused to give up on her act.

"Do you live here all alone?" She asked in awe.

Elijah let her change the subject, knowing that he couldn't push her. "Yes. But I will not take responsibility for its over-extravagance. It was my sister. I believe she may have got a little ahead of herself."

"How far does it go?" Hayley asked in amazement as she looked down a straight hallway that never seemed to end.

"There are a few floors…I never really bother going to any of it. I mostly stay in this wing." Elijah sounded bored talking about the place. Just when he glanced over at Hayley, a long yawn escaped from her.

She noticed that he caught it. "What time is it?"

Elijah glanced at the watch on his wrist. "2 o'clock in the morning. Forgive me, I have kept you up." He spoke so properly to her now and it bothered her. She walked over to the couch and sat down, annoyed with his formalities. "Hayley, I am not going to let you sleep on the couch. There are plenty of rooms for you to stay in." The idea of her sleeping there was ridiculous to him.

"I don't need or want to stay in one of your suites." Hayley replied bleakly.

"Must you always be so stubborn?" Elijah asked, trying not to roll his eyes.

She lay down on the couch and closed her eyes. "Yes."

He exhaled in frustration. There was no point in arguing with her. But his expression softened when he glanced at her again, free to gaze not that her eyes were closed. "Happy Birthday." Elijah told her softly. Her eyes opened to look at him in confusion. "I know it has technically passed, but I was unable to give you my wishes in person." He said calmly.

"It was from you." Hayley whispered, trying to hide her astonishment. She spoke the art supplies that had mysteriously appeared in her bedroom. Then she realized how well he knew her for buying such a gift. It instantly made her feel guilty for accusing him of being a stranger.

Elijah didn't acknowledge and answer her claims. "Goodnight, Hayley."

He gave her once last look before walking to a different part, leaving Hayley alone in his wing of the manor. At vampire speed, he moved to the other side of the home. He decided to sit in the room that had the indoor pool. Elijah just needed to get far enough away that he could no longer hear the beating of Hayley's heart. The water and echoing were enough to do it. The sound of it made it impossible for him to leave her alone. Her expression, when he said she wasn't as coldhearted as she pretended, kept replaying in his mind. But his thoughts were interrupted when his cell phone chimed in his pocket. Before it could hit the second ring, he answered it.

"Hello." Elijah greeted calmly.

"I wish to make a deal with you, Elijah." A female voice said. It was one he didn't recognize right away. Before, he had guessed it would be one of his many witch or vampire companions that had aided his cause in some way.

"Rose-Marie." He said without any emotion. There was silence on the other end, only confirming that it truly was her. "What could you possibly possess to offer me?" Elijah stated darkly. She had been running from the originals for half a millennium. If she believed she'd found a reason to stop running, it was probably something that would at least interest him a little.

"You would never believe it. I think it's best that you see for yourself. But trust me when I say that it is worth your while." The fear in her voice was completely readable by him. She would never risk such a thing if she weren't certain he would want to see what she was talking about.

"Where are you?" Elijah almost growled.

"Mystic Falls, Virginia. If need be, I could bring it to you." Rose offered.

Elijah glanced in the direction of the wing where Hayley lay asleep. Whatever this was, he didn't want it anywhere near her. "No." He commanded roughly. "Stay where you are. I will be there in half a day's time." He hung up the phone without giving Rose any time to give him another response.

There was no time to waste. It was obvious he had important business to manage now. Without meaning to, Elijah was back at his personal wing of the manor. He carefully walked to the sitting room and found Hayley deep in her slumber on the couch. Just earlier that night she made a remark about him always leaving. It was what she expected, but clearly not what she really wanted. Elijah didn't want to leave her. But he had guessed the reason for Rose calling was that she'd found Katarina.

Elijah had never known what to expect before mixing two worlds. But he never thought it would be easy. His life was still run by revenge and hate toward his brother. But once he found out about Hayley, there was another purpose he could choose. And he did choose it, but without giving up the other. The result was the clashing of his love for this girl and his supernatural struggle that was fueled by vengeance. He hoped the latter one wouldn't be all he was left with in the end.

Hayley stirred in her sleep, a sign that even in her sleep she could feel his presence. Elijah breathed slowly and calmly as he took her in one last time. He would be back; that, he was sure of. But it didn't change the fact that he didn't want to leave her again. It would only make it harder for her when he came back.

* * *

The sun spilling through the wall of windows awaked Hayley. Her eyes fluttered open and immediately realizing that she didn't recognize the room she was in. She quickly sat up to realize she wasn't on the couch. Instead, she lay in a lush bed, covered by gold bedding. Half a dozen pillows lay behind her. It was a canopy bed with gold curtains tied around each bedpost.

Hayley ran her hands through her hair in confusion. Then a knock sounded at the door. She jumped at the sound. But once she contained herself, she muttered an irritated welcome. Immediately, she expected to see Elijah walking into the room. But to her surprising disappointment, an older man entered in his place. His black hair was beginning to grey and he was dressed in a simple black and white uniform that appeared very old fashioned.

"Excuse me if I startled you." He said politely with a small smile. "I'm Charles, the butler of the manor." He didn't take any steps further into the room. As he spoke, he simply stood just a foot or two away from the open door.

Hayley jaw immediately dropped. "He has a butler?" She asked with a mix of amazement and irritation.

The reaction caused a small smirk from Charles. "Yes. You must understand that it's quite necessary for such a large estate. I'm only here to make sure it is kept in good condition." Hayley noticed how he seemed to be defending Elijah and the extravagant home he owned.

"How did I get in here?" She asked him suspiciously.

Charles cleared his throat. "Mr. Mikaelson brought you in here himself." He clarified. "I don't think he was rather found about the idea of you sleeping on a couch." He added quietly. "May I make you some breakfast?" His mood completely brightened at the idea of actually serving someone.

Hayley laughed at the excitement. "I'm fine. Thank you." She'd never been waited on. Her life was quite the opposite. She was independent and did everything for herself. It felt wrong having it any other way after getting so used to it.

Charles seemed to expect such a response and nodded calmly. Then he finally walked further into the room, stopping just next to the bed. He held out an envelope with her name perfectly written on it. "Mr. Mikaelson asked for me to give this to you as soon as you denied breakfast." Hayley glared at the envelope, as if it were Elijah himself, before slowly grabbing it. She ripped it open to find a hand written letter in flawless cursive. Her eyes raced across the words.

_I apologize for my abrupt departure. It was never my intention to leave you again so soon. But something unexpected was brought to my attention. I intend on returning as soon as my business has been settled. I am able to assure you that the wait will not be anywhere near as long as the rest. _

_ Charles may assist you in any way possible. But I am already aware you will deny any service he offers. You may stay here as long as you wish. Everything in the manor is yours for the using. _

_ Elijah_

_I apologize for anything I said last night that may have upset you in the slightest bit. I promise that was never my intention._

Hayley read the last part a dozen times. After a moment of just staring at the letter blankly, she finally looked up at Charles. She could tell by his expression that he had already been warned of what her reaction would be from reading the letter. He looked kindhearted and a little sad just from watching her.

"He's gone?" She whispered.

"Yes, miss. He left in the middle of the night." He said almost sympathetically.

"Where was he going?" She asked, still confused at why he would leave in such a way. Every other time, he had said goodbye. Never had he just left her.

"He did not say. I'm afraid he never does. I assume that's the nature of all vampires." Charles sighed. Then he caught the hidden amazement in Hayley's eyes when he mentioned vampires. "Oh dear. You didn't think I wasn't aware, did you?"

Hayley shook her head in embarrassment. "You're right. It would probably be a lot easier to explain the no aging thing to his butler that way." Before Charles could respond, she was quickly getting out of bed.

"You can't possibly be leaving already." He said in confusion.

Hayley spotted her clothes in a neat pile, folded on top of a chair. "Actually, I can. Thank you. But I'm not going to wait around in this mansion. I'm going home." She muttered as politely as she could while she blinded with anger.

"But you have no way of getting there." Charles argued.

She threw her hair up into a messy pony tale. "I'll take the train. It doesn't really matter. I can get home on my own." That was the last thing she said to him before leaving the bedroom.

A few minutes later, she reached the bottom floor of the building and was in the streets of the city. In only took a few seconds to recognize where she was. And she quickly walked to the train station. Hayley knew Elijah believed that would stop her from leaving. But she was too angry to stay like he wanted her to. She didn't understand why it bothered her so much that he left suddenly. After all, it's what she accused him of last night. But most of all, Hayley was confused at how Elijah had unexpectedly went from being a stranger to having such an effect on her and taking up all her thoughts and emotions.

* * *

**Just a fun fact: Elijah's Chicago manor was inspired by the new york penthouse in Meet Joe Black. Hopefully that gives a good visual for everyone. **

**A need some R&R friends :/**


	5. Part V

**For the few who are actually reading this, thank you. One person reviewed saying for Damon or Jeremy to fall in love with Hayley. WHAT? So random. Like the most random thing ever. lol.**

* * *

Hayley sat on her deck with a mug of coffee in between her palms. She wore an oversized sweater to keep the autumn breeze from freezing her. It was early in the morning, the sun just starting to rise over the horizon. Usually this would be too early for her, but she had never gone to sleep. Her thoughts were completely engulfed with everything Elijah. She wished it weren't, but she couldn't help it.

It had been 5 days since she saw him. With all that time lost in her thoughts, Hayley got over her anger and it was replaced with concern. How long did it take to handle 'business'? From what she figured, he would be back in a couple of days. Elijah said he wanted to her to stay at his place. If his time away were so much longer, wouldn't he have said something else?

Hayley took a sip of her coffee. She sighed, thinking about her and Elijah's short stay together. When she was with him, she refused to act as if she cared for him or show any interest at all. But when she was left alone with her thoughts, she always ended up admitting to herself that she cared for him. Obviously she did, otherwise she would be worrying about his safety. He may be vampire but so were the two that had attacked her and Elijah had killed them with a mere flick of his wrist. She knew it was possible for him to be killed somehow, but she also knew that she would feel pity for whoever tried.

Hayley glanced at her cell phone to see that it was almost 6:30 in the morning. It wasn't healthy to keep torturing herself with thoughts of him. She needed to do something that would occupy her on this Saturday morning. She quickly got up from her lawn chair and rushed into the house to change. If one thing could clear her head, it was a solid run. She'd start from there and hopefully figure out how to get the annoying vampire out of her head.

* * *

Later in the afternoon, Hayley decided that she needed to get out of her giant but empty house. Sometimes all the space was relaxing. Other times, it suffocated you with your own thoughts. She had thrown her new drawing supplies in her bag. But then she paused, realizing Elijah was the one that had given her all of it. Then she became annoyed with herself for relating yet another thing to him.

"Hey, Hayley. How's it going?" Luke said as soon as he heard the door chime inside the coffee shop he worked at. He glanced at the canvas backpack on her shoulder, already knowing what was inside.

"Hi, Luke." She returned with a genuine smile.

"There's someone sitting at your usual spot." He said with a dramatic frown for her entertainment. A smile beamed across his face when she answered with a short laugh. Luke was tall, dirty blonde, and blue eyed. As far as Hayley could tell, there was nothing wrong with him. The only thing she could think of was the few rumors of his temper. Mostly her friends that were on the hockey team with him mentioned it a few times. But other than that, Luke was almost perfect. All of Hayley's friends tried to convince her that he had more than just a small crush on her. But she refused to believe it. Why would he?

"What can I get you?" Luke asked as he crossed his arms, unaware of how much the gesture showed off his athletic physique.

"I think just a cappuccino will be good." She asked politely, already shuffling through her bag for money.

"Don't bother." Luke interrupted her chaotic search. "It's on the house."

But Hayley instantly shook her head. "Luke, you never let me pay for my drink when you're working." She almost whined. But even though she was stubborn, Luke wasn't going to budge. He had already moved away from the register to start making her drink.

"And don't try sneaking your money into the tip jar either." He advised without looking up at her. She rolled her eyes although smiled at his warning. But then she watched him carefully making her drink. He was wearing dark jeans and a t-shirt. The way the light hit him with the warm tones of the coffee shop caught her attention. Hayley quickly grabbed her camera out of her bag. She almost always had it with her. Her finger lightly pressed on the shutter. Luke instantly looked up at the quiet click of the camera. She was surprised he'd heard it.

"Why don't you show anyone your stuff?" Luke asked her curiously.

"What stuff?" Hayley played dumb.

He shrugged his shoulders, seeing that she wasn't going to admit anything. She didn't like to even acknowledge that she was artistic in any way. It was one of her few escapes from the world when it became too much to handle. And it was a way to express her emotions that she couldn't put into words.

Luke slowly placed her coffee on the counter. Hayley couldn't read the way he was looking at her. "Thanks for the coffee, Luke." She said softly. He just nodded his head and walked to the back room. It allowed her to turn her attention to the rest of the coffee shop. He was right, someone had taken her usual spot in the corner. It was secluded from the rest of the seating and had perfect lighting.

Just as Hayley let out a sigh of disappointment, she realized that she recognized the person sitting there. It was the guy she had run into on Halloween. _The good-looking one with the British accent_, her mind added. Suddenly, her usual confidence felt even bolder. Hayley walked over to his spot, the buckles on her knee high boots clicked with every step. It was a two-person table and the chair opposite of him was wide open, practically inviting someone to sit down. And she did exactly that. He looked up, completely unsurprised. She could tell that he recognized her, yet he wasn't surprised to find her sitting across from him. Hayley narrowed her eyes, feeling like he had been expecting her this whole time.

"You're sitting in my spot." Hayley said with a charming smile.

"Is that so?" He asked with an amused smile.

She just nodded and took a sip of her drink. That was when she noticed that he had something in front of him. It was a plain, black sketchbook. He had been drawing in it before she so rudely interrupted him. Hayley's charm faltered just a moment as she turned to look out the window. He had been drawing the downtown view and it was completely faultless. She suddenly became bothered by how he was drawing in her usual spot, just like she would.

"You draw?" Hayley asked after clearing her throat. She tried to remain unfazed by it, realizing she had lost her façade for just a moment.

But he was smirking at her. Clearly, he had caught the flicker. "And paint." He confirmed as he leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "That barista boy fancy's you." He gestured in Luke's direction. Apparently, he had heard their conversation.

Hayley let out a laugh at the idea. "He's a good friend. We've gone to school together since like kindergarten." She confirmed with a smile.

"You don't see yourself very clearly." He informed her quietly. Although there was a small amount of amusement in his eyes, his voice was serious.

Hayley's smile vanished when she caught his tone. She didn't quite no what he meant by that. But she also knew that by asking him to elaborate was a ploy for him to continue his charms. "So are you following me?" She asked him as her eyes narrowed theatrically to indicate her sarcasm.

"Well, I was here first. So I believe that would mean _you_ are following _me_." He said with his thick accent. He then smirked when he saw an entertained smile spread across her lips. It didn't seem like they were very common for her.

"Touché." Hayley tipped her cup of coffee in his direction. "Do you mind if I stay and join you?" She asked carefully. Then she caught something in his eyes. "I'm Hayley by the way." She said charmingly, holding out her hand with confidence.

The gesture seemed to throw him off completely. But he regained his composure before she could identify his strange reaction. "Nick." He said smoothly as he shook her hand. "And I do hope you would stay." The second part seemed like it was hard for him to express. He seemed to have to put an effort into simply being friendly and casual, not seducing and charming.

Hayley let out a deep breath and relaxed into the chair. "Are you new in town?" She asked him almost suspiciously. Both of their encounters didn't seem like a coincidence for some reason. But she pushed the thought out of her head.

"What would you make you think I'm new in town, sweetheart?" Nick answered practically in a hum.

She glared at the word 'sweetheart'. "I believe I just gave you my name for a reason. Save your pet names for someone who you're actually capable of seducing." She wasn't aware of how much she was exposing her fire. To some it was intimidating or sometimes even bitchy, but Nick found it quite amusing.

"And who says I'm not capable of seducing you?" He leaned forward, his forearms on the table. There was a glimmer in his gaze as his voice lowered.

Hayley raised an eyebrow at his boldness. Little did he know that she was more than capable at playing his game, she was always good at pretending to be this person. It was easier to show others this than her true self.

Hayley leaned onto the table, matching his move. But she moved closer, never breaking eye contact. She didn't stop easing nearer until her face was barely a centimeter away from his. She glanced at his lips just for a split second. Her mouth parted, expressing the desire. But just as Nick believed he would feel her kiss, she quickly pulled back. Hayley broke into a fit of laughter. Once she was done, she caught his anger at being played. She didn't seem scared like others would if they saw such an expression on his face. Instead, she appeared greatly satisfied and content with the reaction she drew from him.

"You can't seduce me. Whatever game you think you can play, I promise I can play it just as well, if not better." Then she crossed her eyes and glared, giving him even more of a warning not to even try.

"Well played." Klaus finally said. He wasn't used to controlling his anger in such a way. Most people he simply spoke with always knew who he was and how dangerous he could be. But Hayley's ignorance showed him a different way he was forced to behave. Then he realized her honesty was what made this so different. Unknowing to his true identity, she had no fear of being brutally frank. But a part of him believed she would do the same even if she did know who he really was.

"You aren't very good at not getting your way." Hayley said through a smirk. She instantly picked up his on mood. "I'm going to ask you a question. And I want you to answer it honestly." She warned, giving him no time to agree. "Have you ever sat with a girl and just…talked to her? Without having any shady intentions or underlying motives, you simply want to have a conversation with them?" Nick's jaw flexed but gave no other response to the accusation. And Hayley knew instantly that she'd called it perfectly. "That's what I thought." She stated softly.

There was a moment of silence and Hayley then realized she'd upset him. She watched carefully as he fiddled with the pencil in his hand. It was like he was trying to stop himself from killing something.

"Hey." Hayley whispered. The rare kindness in her voice was what brought Nick out of his quiet rage. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hit a nerve." She apologized sincerely. "I'll make it up to you." She promised. He raised an eyebrow, curious as to how. "You can practice." Hayley said as she gestured to herself theatrically.

He saw her relax when he barely nodded. Then he felt another pair of eyes watching them. There was no need to turn around to find whom they belonged to. "Your boyfriend keeps watching you and glaring at me." He pointed out to her without gesturing to Luke in any way.

Hayley barely glanced over to realize what he was talking about. "Ok. Once again, just friends." Then she smiled. "Actually, you should try it sometime!"

Nick ignored her jokes aimed at him. "But you are spoken for?" He questioned slowly and evenly. Her eyes flickered toward his without giving a response. "I'm doing exactly what you advised: I'm practicing." He countered with a mischievous smirk.

"Yes. I am." Hayley stunned herself by saying. There was no questioning whom she was referring to. But she was confused at how she convinced herself that he counted. It didn't feel like that their confusing relationship should be considered being spoken for on her part.

"I see." Nick said, amused by her response. Unbeknownst to Hayley, he knew that she spoke of Elijah, for he knew of his brother's and her prophecy. It was clear, not only by the way she said it, but by the look in her eyes when she did. They lightened, staring off at perhaps a memory he could not see. And for a moment, Klaus swore he saw Hayley. Not her frontage, but her true self and nature.

A phone unexpectedly vibrated on top of the wooden table. Both Hayley and Nick glanced at it. The sound brought them out of their little world of charm and duplicity. Nick picked it up and his eyes skimmed over the message. Hayley saw his jaw tense and his mouth fell into a straight line.

"Excuse me, but I must be going." He said shortly, already closing and picking up his sketchbook.

"See ya." Hayley said calmly. It wasn't until then that she realized she had actually started to enjoy talking to him. She'd noticed far too many similarities between the two of them. A part of her became frightened about how many others she would find if she got to know him more.

Nick stopped for a moment, watching her space out. "I believe I need more practice." He managed a small smile. Hayley was taken out of her thoughts, and looked at him blankly. "You were right. I don't really know how to talk to people unless I'm seducing them or getting something I want." Saying it out loud was one of the biggest trials he had ever faced.

Hayley then thought of how wrong this could turn out. But the way he was looking at her wasn't as if he saw her a challenge. She swore she saw him gazing at her with some kind of hope. It seemed like he was unreasonably lonely. And then Hayley wondered why it bothered her so much. But she didn't have the strength to admit it was because she felt it more than anyone would ever know, even herself.

Nick was about to walk away, thinking that she wasn't going to answer his implied question. Just as he turned his back to walk out the door, she stopped him. "Wait!" Hayley said nervously. Without looking at him, she grabbed the pencil out of his hand and a napkin from the table. She scribbled something really quickly on it. A few seconds later, she was shoving back into his hand as if at any instant she would change her mind. Nick looked down at it and saw her name and a number jotted on the paper napkin. He smirked before turning to leave.

Hayley watched him go, still confused about what made her do it. Her eyes squinted as she watched the car he got into. It was a black Aston Martin Vanquish. _He _would_ be filthy rich_, she thought. Then her attention was pulled away when she felt someone stand next to her side.

"Make a new friend?" Luke said to her.

"I guess so." Hayley said with a shy smile.

"I don't think that's a very good idea." She could tell he was choosing his words very carefully. Why, she did not know.

"Why not?" Hayley asked him as she saw Nick drive away.

"He's no good." Luke declared. His seriousness caused her to finally turn and look at him. She was caught off guard by how angry he looked.  
"You don't even know him." She defended.

"I don't have to. And neither do you." Then his expression softened when he became lost in her eyes. "Just do me a favor and stay away from him, okay Hayley?" His voice practically sounded like he was begging her.

"Don't tell me what to do, Luke." She replied sharply before walking to the table and grabbing her stuff. He instantly knew that he upset her. Just before she passed him, he opened his mouth to defend himself. "Save it. I'll see you later." Hayley said roughly as she brushed past him.

* * *

Hayley lay on the couch, watching TV in her empty house. Janet was grounded for a month after her parents caught her coming home drunk on Halloween. And Hayley didn't feel like calling the rest of her friends. To be honest, she was in no mood to be social anyways.

She glanced out the window to see the forest behind her home. Branches were being shook, leaves were getting ripped off, and flowers were losing their petals. There was a severe wind warning flashing across the television. Hayley sighed, none of it was really fazing her.

Just as she was flipping through the channels, the power flickered and then the TV screen went fuzzy. Hayley winced at the static noise that followed. She sat up and quickly tried to turn down the volume. Then she sighed in relief that the power hadn't completely gone because she had no idea how to fix the power box. Even though it was still intact, the cable never came back.

Suddenly, there was a crack right outside the house. Hayley shot up to stand from the couch. She looked out the window to see the umbrella on the deck had snapped completely in half. She slowly walked closer to the view, trying to see if there was anything else that was capable of being destroyed by the storm. Just as she was an inch away from the huge window, the glass door leading to the backyard flew open. She jumped and whipped around to see the curtains flailing around the new opening. The storm was so loud that its sound flooded her house, making it seem like she was in a wind tunnel.

Her heart was racing as she ran toward the door that was only a few feet away. The wind was so strong that she actually had to put some force into shutting the door. The second she managed to close it; she made sure to lock it this time. She took a few steps backward, still staring out the windows and glass door. She was just waiting for something else to happen. Then, right on cue, the power completely went out. Without the humming of all the electronics or the static from the TV, the house was disturbingly quiet. The sun had set hours ago, leaving Hayley with no source of light but her cell phone that she had inconveniently left upstairs.

She turned away from the windows just as lightning hit. The flash of light allowed her to see someone standing just on the other side of the living room. But it was too quick for her to make out any details. Hayley was about to let out a scream and sprint back toward the door. But the intruder rushed in front of her, pressing her back into the glass door. His finger gently pressed on her lips, preventing her from screaming in any way. Hayley immediately recognized Elijah.

"It's only me." He told her softly as he slowly removed his finger from her lips. Hayley let out a giant breath just before she embraced him. She sensed his body freeze, just for a second, before she felt his arms wrap around her too. "I apologize for scaring you." He breathed into her hair.

Hayley pulled away and finally looked at him. Despite the crazy weather, his hair was still perfectly kept. He was wearing an all black suit. But she panicked as soon as she saw giant rip in his shirt that was right over his heart. There was dried blood still able to be seen, despite the black color of the fabric.

Her eyes widened in horror at the sight. "What happened?" She gasped. "You're bleeding, Elijah!" Instead of waiting calmly for an answer, she was already moving around him to get the first aid kit. But with his vampire abilities, he was already standing in front of her once again.

"There is no need to be alarmed. I am okay." He informed her calmly.

Hayley nodded, trying to remember that being a vampire had its peculiarities. "What happened to you?" She whispered.

Elijah took a step closer to her. "Hayley, your heart is still racing." He noted quietly as he gestured toward the kitchen counter. She needed to sit and he knew she wouldn't move unless it was suggested. "I shall try and turn the power back on." He stated before disappearing into the darkness of the large house.

A few minutes later, Elijah came back unsuccessful. The power lines must be twisted or damaged from the storm, something he could not fix. Hayley's house had an odd amount of candles sitting around. She didn't waste a second before lighting many on the kitchen counter, allowing her to actually see. The light was unnecessary for Elijah's vampire sight. As soon as they sat across from each other at the granite counter, he kept noticing her gaze falling to the tear in his dress shirt.

"It healed long ago." He told her. She ran her fingers through her hair in stress. Elijah looked down to see she was wearing cotton shorts and an oversize crew cut sweatshirt. Her hair was a little wavy and messy from air-drying it.

"Who did this too you?" She asked angrily. It caused a smirk from him. He found it amusing that she wished to gain some sort of revenge on Damon Salvatore. He would never allow her to ever even be in the same state as the arrogant vampire.

"It is a rather long story." Elijah said lightly.

But he glanced up to see that she was shrugging her shoulders. "I don't mind." She surprised him by saying. "Would you like some tea? The stove still works." She then asked sensibly. "Do you even drink anything besides blood?"

Her carefulness caused Elijah to smile. He nodded his head. "Thank you." She moved around the kitchen, grabbing all the necessary parts. He watched her silently. With only candles, her hair looked even more red than usual.

Hayley slowly sat back down as she waited for the water to boil. "What happened?" She asked him again, more calmly this time. Elijah explained his reasoning for leaving so abruptly. He never expected to tell her about the ritual and sacrificing the newest doppelgänger. But there he was, explaining all of it to her.

"Why do you want to break this curse so badly? It doesn't bind you, it binds your brother." Hayley pointed out.

"He killed our entire family." Elijah said without any emotion. His eyes stared into the flickering flame of the candle right in front of him. He heard Hayley's breath catch from the shock of his statement.

"Why would he do that?" She asked him.

"It is a story that expands through centuries." He stated faintly. "There is no happy ending. It only finishes with me forever searching for my revenge."

Hayley jumped as the teapot whistled sharply, breaking the silence they allowed to come between them. She jumped from her stool, quickly preparing two cups of tea and sitting back down. Her eyes locked into his. "So…start from the beginning." She instructed him slowly.

Elijah got lost in her eyes for an instant. "If I tell you, you must give me something in return." He offered. She waited for him to continue. "You must answer any questions I have of you once I am finished." Hayley's eyes narrowed, trying to find the catch. But there wasn't one. She nodded her head hesitantly, agreeing to his terms. Elijah nodded back and then gathered the story of which she wished to be told. He started from the very beginning, when he was still a human. There wasn't a detail left out. It was no longer fair to keep things from her. She had the right to know. Elijah spoke of the daggers, his siblings being thrown at sea, and even his plan of how he would end his brother the night he tried to break his curse. He couldn't remember any time he had spoken so much about himself. All the while, Hayley sat there patiently, soaking in every part of his life. Once he finished, he waited, hoping he hadn't overwhelmed or bored her with all of the information.

"That's why you could never stay." Hayley whispered to herself. She finally understood why he had to keep leaving ever since the day he met her. He had been looking for retribution on his family's behalf.

"If my brother knew of my plan to destroy him, he would have gone after anything close to me. I hoped he would never even know of your existence, but I underestimated Niklaus' resources." Elijah stated darkly.

"What do you mean?" She asked, her brow creasing.

"The last time I saw you until recently, companions of my brother's had followed me to you. They hunted down information from a witch who had once been a companion of mine." He saw a flicker in Hayley's eyes. Had it been jealousy? "They knew of the prophecy and of you. I killed them, but it was too late. They had already forwarded the information to Niklaus."

"Was I there?" She murmured. He nodded. "Why…why can't I remember any of it?" She looked away, concentrating on trying to concentrate on the memory. But she came up blank and frustrated. There was nothing.

Elijah looked torn with guilt. "You were only a child." He defended. "I could not bare the thought of the scene haunting you for the rest of your life." She waited nervously for him to continue. "I took away your memory, forcing you to forget."

"But on Halloween, those two vampire's said that I was off limits. They made it seem like your brother wanted me alive." Hayley pointed out. While she had one original protecting her, the other apparently wanted to use her as collateral.

"My brother would have nothing against me if you were killed by any other. You cannot impend another without threatening what is most dear to them." Elijah said steadily. Hayley's gaze flickered to him.

"'Most dear to them'…" She whispered to herself. Without even meaning to, he had just revealed how important she was to him. Did he really care about her that much? She asked herself.

"Yes." Elijah immediately confirmed. Hayley hadn't realized he was able to hear her. He caught her shiver a little, then wrapping her arms around herself. To a vampire, warm and cold were irrelevant. Neither mattered. But with the fast approaching winter and no electricity, it was clear that Hayley was freezing.

"Perhaps I should take you to my home." He proposed, making sure to make it seem like it was an option. Otherwise, Hayley's stubbornness would never allow it.

She surprised him by slowly nodding her head. "If I go with you, you have to promise me one thing." She shook between every word. Elijah nodded. He would give her anything she wanted, no matter how impossible it was. She was his weakness and to do anything, other than what she wished, was a revolting thought.

"You have to promise to not ever leave without saying goodbye. No matter what." Her voice overcame the cold, coming out assertive and serious. "All I want is for you to be honest with me." She added more softly.

Elijah leaned forward, never breaking eye contact. "I promise I will never leave without telling you goodbye, Hayley." He heard her heart jump as he said her name. He found it odd that if his heart still beat, it would do the same thing every time she said his own name. Elijah sat up from the stool. He took off his suit jacket, which had miraculously stayed unscathed from Damon Salvatore, and draped it over Hayley's shoulders. She gave him a shy smile at the unexpected gesture.

Hayley sat in his fancy car, realizing this was the second one she had been around that day. Suddenly, her thoughts drifted to Nick. For some reason, she felt guilty for talking to him today. But she had done nothing wrong. In fact, she had even told him she was spoken for. Yet he still seemed interested in getting to know her. Maybe he truly only wanted a friend. Hayley pulled Elijah's jacket tighter around her skinny frame as she tried to get Nick out of her mind.

She took in a deep breath, trying to relax and stop her shivering. When she did, she took in Elijah's scent that still lingered on the jacket. It smelled musky, yet warm with more natural traces. It was old fashioned and she knew she'd never find such a unique smell from any other man or vampire. And Elijah was unaware of how comforting and relaxed it made her.

* * *

Elijah parked his car in the private lot only open to him. He glanced over to see Hayley had fallen asleep on the drive. Her head rested against the glass window and a few strands of hair had fallen across her face. Even if she had refused, Elijah knew he would have forced her to come back with him somehow.

Ever so quietly, he opened the passenger, making sure not to wake her. He lifted her into his arms and was pleased to feel her position her body even closer against him. As soon as he got out of the elevator and into the manor, Charles was waiting. Apparently he had seen his car arrive on the security camera.

"Has something happened? Is she hurt?" The butler asked while his face was filled with concern about the young girl.

"Everything is quite alright. She has simply fallen asleep." Elijah spoke in the softest voice. Charles relaxed and then smiled ever so subtly.

"Clearly, the girl is very entertained by your company." The butler joked.

"Careful now." Elijah smirked. "We won't be needing your services for the remainder of the evening." He informed him. This seemed to confuse Charles.

"Shall I prepare the room she stayed in during her last visit, sir?" He asked.

Elijah glanced down at Hayley's peaceful face. "No." He confirmed without looking up. "That will not be necessary." He didn't look at Charles to read his mixture of expressions. He owed the butler no explanation.

Elijah walked into his personal wing of the manor and continued to his bedroom. The bed was neatly made, as usual. And as if Charles knew of the situation, the fireplace was warmly lit. Elijah could still feel how cold Hayley was even with his jacket on her shoulders and her sleeping in his arms. He moved to the bed, gently laying her head against the feathery pillow. She stirred a little at the separation. In her sleep, she began muttering words. Hayley moved to sleep on her side, facing Elijah, who kneeled down to try and make sense of what she was saying.

Her eyes slowly opened, instantly connecting with his. Then she glanced around the room and recognized where she had been taken. "I'm in your room." Her voice whispered drowsily. Elijah grinned as he nodded his head. He couldn't help but find her loveable while in such condition. "I didn't meant to fall asleep on you." She continued to whisper.

"It's quite alright." He assured her. "Go back to sleep." But just as he instructed her to do so, he saw another wave of shivers move across her skin. "Are you still cold?" He asked her with concern. But Hayley shook her head. Elijah caught her poor attempt at lying. Perhaps if she had been fully awake she could have fooled him. Elijah then leaned forward. "I believe we must remedy that." He whispered. There was a small space left on that side of the bed between Hayley and the edge of the mattress. Elijah carefully propped himself beside her, his back resting against the headboard. As soon as she realized what he was doing, she scooted over slightly. She froze, undecided on how she wanted to approach the situation. But she couldn't help herself, she moved closer to him and immediately felt his arm wrap around her. Hayley rested her head on his chest and swore she could feel his muscles even through the dress shirt. She couldn't deny that her body instantly felt warmer, not just in temperature, but in ways she couldn't explain.

"Thank you." Hayley was able to whisper just before she fell asleep again.

* * *

**I hope all of you realize who 'Nick' really is...if not, I'm slightly concerned for your well being. **

**I think you should send me novels of reviews for how quickly I put this up. Just sayin...lol**


	6. Part VI

**I know. I know. I did NOT dye. I did NOT quit. I moved into a new apartment, with new roommates, at a new college, in a new place, trying to make new friends. I started classes, including a writing course that has taken up my priorities along with the rest of my homework. I'll apologize. But I stated at the beginning of this that i wasn't going to update as often as my other stories. **

**Thank you for all the reviews and I'm sorry that I gave such a wait in return.**

* * *

Elijah felt the slow thumping of Hayley's heart against his chest. He never expected any human to be so relaxed in his presence. She was fast asleep. Her body was completely resting against his own. He never planned on going to sleep, he couldn't. But there was no way he would be able stay. Now that Elijah knew where the doppelgänger was, he had to finish what he started. She and the Salvatore brothers all believed he was dead. It would be an advantage. But vengeance and his emerging love for this young woman were conflicting even more than before.

Elijah wanted to leave her while she still looked peaceful, to sneak away without seeing the hurt in her eyes that she could hide so well. But he'd made a promise to her. And he owed Hayley much more than she would ever realize. He couldn't leave without saying goodbye. Elijah would only allow himself one night of her sleeping in his arms. And in the morning, he would have to say goodbye once again. It had to be done.

* * *

Hayley woke up, confused as to why she wasn't in her room. Then her heart dropped when she realized Elijah's arms were around her. The night's events came flooding back to her memory. She quickly sat up to see that Elijah was awake. She guessed he'd never gone to sleep. Then Hayley found herself wondering what it would be like to see him asleep. Her heart fluttered at the thought.

"Good morning." Elijah said, trying to hide a smirk.

"Hi." She replied consciously. Her fingers immediately combed through her hair, making sure she wasn't that much of a mess.

"You sleep like the dead." He pointed out to her.

Her eyes flickered up. "That's not usually the case." Most of the time she couldn't sleep at all. She saw Elijah tilt his head, wondering what she meant.

"No?" He asked her to elaborate.

Hayley was embarrassed for saying anything, now. She looked down at the bed spread instead of him. "I…ugh…I've realized that I sleep a lot better when you're around." She muttered quietly, almost hoping he wouldn't hear her answer. But she underestimated his heightened sense of hearing. Elijah's eyes brightened at the explanation but she didn't notice. Now that Hayley was awake, he realized that he had to say goodbye before the day ended. But he didn't want to just yet. He couldn't bear to receive the negative action he knew she would give him.

"Would you like something to eat?" He offered. She scooted away from him, putting an abnormal space between their bodies. Both of them felt it.

"Is Charles going to make it?" She asked with a smirk.

"If you wish." Elijah replied.

Hayley then got off the other side of the bed and looked at him. She tossed her hair into a messy bun and was still wearing her sweatpants from the night before. "No, Mr. Wayne, I don't want your precious butler making me breakfast." She sighed and left the bedroom without another glance.

Once she was gone, Elijah allowed himself to smile at her mockery. He could have all the money in the world and she wouldn't care at all. After a few seconds, he quickly got up and followed her out of the room. There was a small kitchen in his wing of the house. He didn't really need it, just like the rest of the manor. Elijah found Hayley rummaging through the cabinets. Then he heard Charles coming into the opening of the wing.

"May I be of assistance?" He asked Hayley even though he saw Elijah standing there, watching over her. Hayley jumped at the sound. Charles was almost as quiet as any vampire.

"Oh, gosh. I'm fine. Thank you though." She said ever so politely, more politely than she had ever spoken to Elijah. Charles looked saddened by the lack of help needed. He looked over at Elijah, waiting for any other instruction.

"Charles, will you please see if there is any coffee hiding around?" The vampire asked his helping hand. Charles nodded before briskly leaving. Hayley looked annoyed with Elijah for giving him commands. But then her face softened and she allowed it to.

"Thank you…for letting me stay here." She didn't know what she would have done had he not shown up. The power would have been out and maybe she would have gone to Janet's or another friends' house. But it wouldn't have been the same.

"I will always try be there for you." He muttered quietly, seeing the sincerity in her appreciation. Then he heard her heart speed up a little.

"But you can't promise something like that." Hayley said seriously. "I don't want to expect the impossible." Not that she ever did.

Elijah looked away from her sad eyes. He hated that she had such little hope for anything in this world. But that was the result of how she grew up and how she had learned to see everything around her. He never said he could be there for her always, because if he made a promise or gave his word, he would keep it. But being a vampire and an original at that, he couldn't do such a thing. And a part of him knew she never expected or wanted to constantly depend on anyone. She was independent and would do anything to never become the damsel in distress.

Hayley moved so she was sitting on one of the chairs at the kitchen counter. Elijah stood with his hands in his pockets on the other side. "I never promised I would, I promised I would try." He corrected.

"I don't want you to promise anything. People don't know how to keep promises these days. It's feasibly impossible." She stated bleakly. Then Elijah caught her gaze as he realized he should tell her that he was leaving. She seemed to immediately know what he was about to say, for he could hear her heart beating even faster. "You have to leave again, don't you?" Hayley whispered.

"There is something that I must finish." It was all he needed to say.

"You're going back there." She stated, needing no assurance. "You're going back to that town for the sacrifice." Her sadness turned into irritation. "So you plan on killing an innocent girl for the revenge on your brother?" She accused.

"It is the only way." He confirmed evenly.

"You told me she was just a teenager. Would you do it if it were me?"

Elijah's jaw clenched at her judgments. "Our lives may be intertwined but never in such a way." He justified. "I would never allow such a thing to happen." Then he saw that she still upset. "I have means of bringing her back to life. I never planned on truly killing her. She is an innocent and practically defenseless."

Hayley looked at her hands that were folded together on the counter. Then she looked up, her eyes the saddest he had ever seen. "You don't have to go." She whispered. "Killing him won't bring them back, Elijah. Stay here. Stay here with me, where it's safe." Her voice shook slightly as she finally told him how she really felt. She didn't understand where it was all coming from.

"It is what they would want. Their deaths can only be avenged by my brother's demise. There is no other way." Elijah explained, unable to look up at her. He could see that she had nothing else to say. But he wasn't able to see how she felt for him. Hayley was so good at hiding how she suffered that sometimes she didn't see it herself, making it even harder for Elijah to read her. "Would you like me to take you home?" He offered, not knowing what else to say.

"What? You don't want me to stay here this time?" She teased him through her hidden desolation and frustration. Elijah barely gave her a smirk at the remark.

"You know that you could if you wanted to." He stated softly.

"You don't have to drive me home. I can get there myself." She muttered.

"Absolutely not." Elijah stated, leaving no room for any argument. Hayley just shrugged her shoulders. She was too upset to let her stubbornness take over. And in all honesty, she didn't want to leave his side just yet.

Almost an hour later, Elijah had taken Hayley back home. She got out of the car and looked at the house. She could almost feel the emptiness from outside. Then she felt him at her side. For some reason, she had a bad feeling about him leaving. Maybe it was a sixth sense; maybe it was intuition.

The two of them now stood next to the front door. She didn't bother asking if he wanted to come inside. She knew he was going to leave as soon as she was inside. "I've never been this person…the person who waits around." Hayley said roughly, her voice coarse from the mixture of just waking up and attempting to hold down her emotions. Even when she was younger, she didn't wait for Elijah's return. But when she was a child, it all seemed so magical, like she couldn't control it if she tried. "But I guess I don't have any other choice." Hayley added quietly.

Elijah nodded. For once, he truly didn't know what to say. He was sick of continuing to say these goodbyes. But there was not a doubt in his mind about whether he would return from Mystic Falls. The Salvatore brothers were young and thoughtless vampires. With them and a crowd of other teenagers, it would be almost effortless to do what Elijah pleased. The only risk he took was with his brother. But if all went according to plan, he would kill Niklaus before the inactivated hybrid even knew what was happening.

But Elijah wasn't at Mystic Falls yet. Instead, Hayley was looking back at him and showing no emotion. She hid it well for he could not see the sadness from thinking about him leaving again. When she woke up this morning in his arms, she realized something. Hayley had never experienced the feeling of waking up next to someone that she felt something toward. It was warm and comforting and something she had never known was possible until Elijah came into her life.

"Don't die. I know you said it's basically impossible. But…just come back. Okay?" Hayley said quietly to him without looking up. Elijah watched her closely. He noticed how she put a strand of hair when she lost her exuberant confidence, just for a second. Or how her blue-green eyes would flicker to meet his and be the only thing allowing Elijah to catch any emotion she refused to show.

"There is no need for you to worry, Hayley." He tried to comfort her.

"I'm not worrying." She lied quickly. Then she turned to open the door, completely set on proving her lie by refusing to give him any sort of official goodbye. But just as Hayley took a step in, she stopped with her hand frozen on the handle. Her racing heart was the only thing Elijah was able to perceive. But then she quickly turned around and walked back to him, not stopping until their faces were barely an inch apart from one another. There was barely a beat of hesitation before her lips crashed onto his. Hayley still believed that the feelings that grew weren't mutual, but she didn't care. She had no idea when she would see him next so she was going to make sure she gave him something to remind him to come back. But Hayley couldn't help but start to believe that this was becoming shared desire, for she could feel Elijah's strong hands grip her waist and his lips kiss back. Then, he pulled away. Not because he wanted to, but because he didn't want to give himself another reason not to leave her.

"Sorry." Hayley whispered, not even bothering to be convincing. She didn't actually regret kissing him. But she felt the need to say something, scared that she had completely misread their relationship.

"I wish you would not apologize for things you should not be apologizing for." Elijah said, his voice deep and husky. He read the stunned expression on her face from hearing him say such a thing. But he had tortured himself enough; he needed to go. Hayley sensed their time coming to a close. She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his expensive suit.

"I will come back. I give you my word." Hayley heard him say softly into her ear. She felt a kiss on the top of her head. And then he was gone. She was left standing on the front steps alone.

* * *

The incessant ringing of her cell phone woke up Hayley. She couldn't stay asleep for more than an hour the entire night. A week had passed since Elijah left to go back to Mystic Falls. And it was like her body could feel Elijah's distance growing bigger and bigger. She fumbled around to grab the cell phone in her dark room, due to all the shades being down. Her eyes squinted as her phone didn't read the number as anyone in her contact book.

"Hello?" Her voice rasped.

"Morning Sunshine." A male voice replied.

"Who is this?" Hayley questioned as she rubbed her eyes to wake up.

"The handsome stranger you keep running into." Then she heard the accent. She sat up quickly, causing a headache to immediately start. Just one week with Elijah and she forgot about everything else that had happened when he was gone.

"…Nick?" She questioned nervously.

"So to speak." He replied charmingly, completely ignoring the fact that he had obviously just woken her up. "May I also remind you that it is almost 1 o'clock in the afternoon?" She could hear him smiling through his words.

"So was there a purpose to calling me or did you just want to find something to judge me for?" Hayley asked dryly. She was not in the mood to playfully fight with basically a stranger. Her mind was on other things, other people.

"Meet me somewhere." Nick commanded.

"Excuse me?"

"Hayley…" He started to say angrily, then stopped himself before he could ruin any chances of getting her out of her home. "Will you please grace me with you ever so lovely presence?" He asked with mock charm that he knew she'd catch.

But Hayley didn't smile at his efforts. Her eyes scanned around the room and it reminded her that she would be left alone in this house for yet another day if she ignored Nick's invitation. She took in a deep breath and let it out, allowing him to hear it on the other end. "Where am I meeting you?" She asked. He muttered something quickly that she somehow caught enough to understand and remember.

* * *

Klaus looked over at Hayley to see slight shadows underneath her eyes. He assumed it was from lack of sleep. For what reasons, he did not know. All that he could guess was that it had something to do with his brother. One of his many witches was keeping an eye on Elijah's whereabouts. If he had still been near Hayley, Klaus would never have asked her to come today. He was smarter than that. If his older brother knew of his contact with her, there was no telling what Elijah would do. Klaus knew his brother hated him. And he assumed the reason for him constantly trying to track him was because he wished to see revenge for the destruction of their family.

"What could possibly be filling that head of yours?" Klaus finally broke the silence that was lingering between them. The two of them were sitting at a picnic table in the middle of the park. The grass was holding onto its last green before winter took over, sucking away its vibrant color. The late fall weather made it cold enough for jackets but warm enough for humans to be outside.

Hayley was wearing a grey sweater dress with tights and combat boots. Klaus tried not to notice how red it made her blonde hair look or how the shadows kept bringing his attention to her blue-green eyes. He was wearing dark jeans and a black leather jacket, even though the cold didn't affect him.

"Hmm?" Hayley finally broke out of her thoughts. She only heard him say something but didn't know what exactly.

"Something on your mind, sweetheart?" He chided with a smile.

Then she snapped to attention, glaring at him. "What did I say about calling me that?" She said evenly. "And nothing is on my mind. I'm just tired. I don't really sleep very well." She sighed.

"Why not?" He continued, wanting to see if she would actually tell him.

Hayley then say up straighter. "Why are you asking me so many questions?"

"I thought you were supposed to be teaching me how to converse with those around me…" Klaus replied smoothly.

But Hayley's eyes only narrowed further. "Interrogating me is not what you're supposed to be doing." Then she glanced down at what was in front of him. There was a piece of paper with her face lightly sketched on it. Hayley ripped it away, staring at it. "Why are you drawing me?"

"I apologize. I didn't know it wasn't allowed." He smirked even though it was obvious she was quite upset with him.

Hayley took in a deep breath, seeming like she was about to give him an angry lecture of some sort. But then she stopped herself. Her eyes looked around the park. And for a moment, she appeared exhausted and sad. "Why did you ask me here, Nick?" She sighed, tossing back the drawing so it slid perfectly back into place on the beat up picnic table.

"I believe both of us know that you would never have come alone to my place…being as you still see me as a stranger." He raised his eyebrow at her.

"So you _do_ live here." Hayley clarified slowly. "Please tell me you don't live with your parents or something weird like that." She thought he appeared too old to be in college or to not be living on his own.

"No. My mother is dead and I don't have any idea where my father is." Klaus informed her without saying it with any emotion. He caught a flicker of sympathy in Hayley's composure, but she quickly regained her remoteness.

"You don't talk to your dad?" She asked him quietly as she tried not to sound too interested in such personal matters.

"My father and I don't really have a relationship. In fact, we hate one another." Klaus said composedly. He believed he sounded heartless and as if he didn't care. But Hayley knew the act too well not to recognize it for what it truly was.

She watched him silently. But her racing heart gave her away. She understood now, what drew her to him in the first place. The way he talked about his parents, the way he acted when she brought them up, it all felt so familiar. She started getting lost in her thoughts and Klaus instantly noticed. Then Hayley looked up to find him watching her closely.

"Sorry. I was just thinking about my parents too." But then she realized she'd told something personal about herself and immediately stopped talking.

"I'm starting to see that you and I have more in common than either of us ever originally noticed." Klaus stated with a small laugh. But Hayley's eyes narrowed, pretending to act like she didn't know what he was talking about. "I'm rather observant, Hayley." He started. "You never talk about them. They never call you. I don't believe they even live in the same house as you."

Her jaw clenched under such observations. In her mind, she was trying to think of some elaborate lie to ruin any confidence Klaus had in his theories. But then she looked over his shoulder to see someone taking a jog their way. It was clearly a young man who wasn't wearing a shirt. Once he was closer, Hayley's eyes narrowed and she immediately recognized it as Luke. Klaus saw that her attention had been diverted and turned around to look. He rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically as he recognized the teenager.

Luke instantly caught Hayley's stare and walked over with a small smile. But as soon as he recognized Klaus, a glare gripped his face. Hayley got up from her seat on the picnic bench to meet him.

"Taking a run?" She asked lightly.

"Yeah. I texted to see if you wanted to join but you didn't answer." He replied as his eyes kept switching between her and Klaus, who still sat at the table.

"Oh, sorry. I haven't looked at my phone in awhile."

"Why are you hanging out with him?" Luke blurted out. He didn't see the point of trying to bring up the subject smoothly.

"He's my friend, Luke." Hayley snapped quickly. She could already tell what would follow. "Look, I don't understand what your problem is and I don't know why you believe that you can tell me who I can hang out with."

Luke looked as if he was about to say something but Klaus was now at Hayley's side. She looked at him quickly, wondering how he'd snuck up on her like that. "I think you should watch what you say about me, mate."

Luke then shoved past Hayley so he was right in Klaus' face. "I'm not your mate. And I'll say what I want about you. Why are you so interested in her?" He almost spat into the vampire's face.

Meanwhile, Hayley watched horrified at the hostility that had unfolded so rapidly. She didn't understand why Luke was so against her friendship with Nick. Luke looked at him as if he was some kind of mass murderer. It was like he knew something about him that she didn't. But no matter what it was, she had to make sure this situation didn't get any worse.

Hayley tried to shove in between the two of them, her hand gently pushing Luke's bare chest back. She could practically see the fury in his eyes. But as soon as she tried to push them apart, Luke shoved her without even thinking. Hayley gasp when she swore she saw his eyes flicker a different color. But before she could convince herself that it actually happened, they had already gone back to normal. Plus, Nick had jumped in front of her. Hayley got a weird feeling at how protective the action felt. Her eyes whipped over to Luke who looked disgusted with himself.

He took a step toward her. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to."

But Hayley didn't accept his apology. Instead, she looked at him from over Nick's shoulder, feeling like she was watching a stranger. Without saying anything to either of them, she grabbed her bag off the table and quickly walked to her car. She hoped neither of them followed her. Something weird was going on and she was going to figure out. But until then, she wasn't going to get involved in this. Except, she couldn't deny that, for a moment, her mind had been taken off of him. Maybe that's why she tried to be friends with Nick. She just wanted to stop the missing Elijah, just for a little bit. She didn't want to replace him, just talk to a friend.

Both Klaus and Luke calmly watched Hayley get into her car and drive swiftly away. They didn't stop her because they wished to say things that she could not yet hear. Klaus raised an eyebrow, showing that no matter what this young and stupid boy said, he wouldn't be scared. After all, he was the ultimate alpha.

Luke took a step closer once again. "I know what you are." He hissed. "Stay away from her." But when he saw that Klaus smirked at his threat, he only became even angrier.

Klaus put his hands behind his back. "You're not a werewolf, but I can smell the stench on you." He stated with interest. "I guess that means your father's one." His grin beamed when he saw the shock on Luke's face at the statement. "How precious, a young pup who has yet to enjoy the thrill of killing that would activate his curse." Then Klaus snapped into a different emotion, smile gone. "Don't ever mistake me for just another vampire." He enjoyed hearing the slight jump in his heartbeat. "I know all about your pathetic existence…more than you would ever like." Klaus took a step closer. "Next time you try to warn Hayley to stay away from me, I will kill you. _But_ not before I kill your entire family right in front of you."

Luke's jaw clenched at the threat. But something also told him that Klaus meant every word he said. He took a step back. It was the only thing that showed a peace offering since he refused to say anything to him.

* * *

Hayley knew exactly when her life got complicated. Obviously, it all started with Elijah. But then all of this stuff with Nick and Luke was confusing. She felt like it should stand on its own, but she also couldn't help but feel like there was some relation between the two.

Hayley lay on the carpet flooring of her bedroom. The backs of her hands were tossed onto her forehead as she stared up at the ceiling. Her cell phone lay just a foot away from her. She scrolled through her contacts to call her sister.

Hayley was lonely but she refused to ever admit it to anyone, especially herself. The sensation made her feel weak and she tried her hardest not to become of a victim of it. But with the way her life had turned out, it was inevitable. Hayley inhaled as she dialed her sister and listened to the ringing. But no one picked up.

Hayley was about to toss the phone to the side and continue staring at the ceiling, but something in her contact book caught her eye. She read his name. Hayley tried to remember if it she had ever met anyone else by the name of Elijah. But her mind came up blank. Her finger lingered over it, wanting nothing more than to press it. She took in a deep breath and called the number before she could have any second thoughts. The call was picked up on the second ring. Hayley realized she was holding her breath. The pessimist inside had convinced her that it wasn't really him.

"I wondered when you would find the number." Elijah answered calmly.

Hayley instantly smiled at the familiar voice. She exhaled deeply.

"I guess I dialed the wrong number. I was looking for a different Elijah." Hayley said with a smirk. She knew he'd be able to tell it was a joke. And she could almost feel him smiling at her teasing.

There was a beat of silence. "Is everything alright?" He asked her gently.

Then a layer of tears covered her eyes and blurred Hayley's sight. It was the strangest thing. She never cried, ever. But just the simple sound of his voice made her realize how much she missed him. Then she began to see that her feelings for Elijah weren't temporary. In fact, Hayley didn't think they'd ever go away. But it felt like she had finally admitted to herself that she actually did care for him.

She didn't let the tears fall, but the moisture started to make her nose run and her throat seemed to be tight. She sniffled quickly and cleared her throat. "Yeah, everything is fine." She assured him quietly. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright." She confessed honestly.

"There is no need to worry." Elijah comforted her.

"Yeah, but you always say that. No matter how many times you tell me not to, I'm still going to worry. And I know you'll never tell me how if there's any danger."

Elijah's smile disappeared from her serious response. He didn't reply to her statement because they both already knew that it was true. He wouldn't tell her how dangerous anything ever was. Just last night, he saved Damon Salvatore's life by ripping out two werewolf hearts and broke the neck of another. But that was never something he would tell her. Even though he'd thrown her into this unknown world. He wanted to keep her ignorant to it as much as possible. She would be safer that way and remained unchanged by it. No matter how old she grew, he could never forget Hayley as a child and he wanted to protect it more than anything.

"I'm sorry if I shouldn't be calling you." Hayley then rushed.

"There is nothing to apologize for, Hayley."

She then let out a compulsory and nervous laugh. "You'd think I'd be used to you being gone after all this time. But now I feel like it's different…harder." She waited for him to say something, but there was only silence. Hayley didn't recognize Elijah couldn't say that it was even harder for him.

"I miss you." She finally revealed.

"I miss you as well." Elijah immediately replied calmly. But Hayley was able to hear the sadness in his tone and was glad that she wasn't the only one who seemed to be feeling these things.

Hayley continued to stare at the ceiling. "Elijah…" She whispered. "What's going to happen after this sacrifice…after everything is done?" It wasn't like anything would be normal. He would still be an original vampire and she would still be a human girl. Hayley didn't know where they would go from there.

"I won't have to leave you ever again." Elijah responded. That was all he could tell her, because that was all he knew. His life had never allowed him such freedom before. He was a thousand years old and until now, his life had been completely run by vengeance. Elijah looked over at the door to see Jonas and Lukas who had just walked into the room. He knew they had news of Elena and the fools she called her friends.

Hayley somehow seemed to sense that he had to leave. "I'll see you soon." She muttered, sounding like she was actually trying to convince herself.

"I will return to you as soon as possible, Hayley." He replied definitely.

* * *

**I'm going to TRY and update as soon as possible. But I can't make any promises. Now that I'm in school again, my free time is very limited. **


	7. Part VII

**Thank you to all who have learned to be patient with my horribly busy schedule. I truly appreciate it. **

* * *

Hayley stared at the funky and psychedelic artwork that was displayed before her. She had to be honest; a lot of it seemed unimpressive and common. But there were others that she very much appreciated.

"I despise the modern wing." Nick said next to her. Hayley smiled and stifled a laugh since everyone around them was being quiet. Some had even looked over at the two of them from the loud comment.

"Don't be such a snob." Hayley shushed through a smirk. "Just because it's not old and classic doesn't mean it's not art." She encouraged. Her eyes barely glanced over to see him smiling at her, intrigued by her remark.

Hayley had agreed to let him take her to the art museum down town. Klaus didn't know where the trust had come, but he knew that it was very significant. Over time, they both learned they shared a passion and interest in the arts. And Hayley started to truly see him as a friend, but she couldn't get over the sense of mysterious that surrounded Nick. And she sincerely wondered how he saw her in return.

Klaus glanced into another room and saw that there was a restaurant on the floor. "Care to grab some brunch?" He asks politely with that charming smile of his. Hayley narrowed her eyes at him. Klaus grew to learn that his charms didn't work on her. And whenever he tried, her reply was always suspicion or eye rolling.

Hayley looked at the painting to hide how much she was thinking about the question. "Fine." She said quickly, almost as if she had to respond before she changed her mind.

A few minutes later, the two of them were sitting at a table. Through the windows, they could perfectly see Millennium Park and the skyline. Hayley watched Nick carefully as he looked at the menu. "Nick?" She grabbed his attention.

"Yes, sweetheart?" He replied without looking up. She glared at the pet name and threw a sugar packet at him. That finally caused him to look up. "Where are your table manners?" He accused her.

"They're perfectly intact. You know you deserved it." She replied confidently. Then there was a moment of silence. "Nick…we're friends." She stated slowly, but there was a questioning that lingered between them.

"I should hope so." Klaus replied, hiding his entertainment.

Hayley then cleared her throat. "I just…" She paused, uncertain of how she wanted to say this. "I just don't want you to think this is something it's not." She knew it was awkward, but it needed to be put out there. But when Hayley glanced up, Nick was leaning back in the chair, his arms crossed, and a smirk on his lips.

"I didn't forget when you said you were spoken for, love." Nick answered. "But I'm curious as to where this mystery man is. I've known you for a month now and not once have I seen him or heard you talk about him." He challenged.

"He travels a lot." Hayley replied curtly.

Klaus smirked even more. "A teenage boy who travels a lot?"

She glared at him. "He's not a teenage boy."

"An older man?" Klaus asked theatrically stunned to play up his part.

"You knew?" She gasped. "You knew this whole time?"

"I figured it out." Klaus said calmly.

"Then you can figure out the rest, because I'm not telling you anything about him." Hayley made it clear that she wasn't going to be swayed. A part of her felt weird, telling him about Elijah. But then there was the necessary lying. It wasn't like she could tell him the truth. There were too many secrets she knew she had to keep. Even as a child, Hayley understood Elijah needed to be kept quiet.

"You've meddled in my love life. What about yours?" Hayley twisted the subject around with a mischievous smile.

"If there was someone, do you really think I would be spending so much time with you?" He said mockingly. In response, Hayley threw another sugar packet at him, which Klaus caught effortlessly. "I swear, I can't take you anywhere." He muttered. But then he looked up to see that Hayley's eyes were distant. He knew what she was thinking about. It was Elijah. She was so good at pretending she was unaffected by anything. Klaus was able to recognize it so easily because it was exactly what he did. But suddenly, Hayley realized she'd been caught. She forced a smile through closed lips. But Klaus only saw the sadness in it.

* * *

Hayley was quiet the whole way home from the city. Klaus glanced at her every once in awhile. Usually, he would use indecent methods to get her thoughts out. But Hayley was different. She was the first person he ever saw as a true friend. She was ignorant to his power or his deadliness. So they didn't become acquaintances through fear like all of his companions.

Hayley still hadn't said anything as Klaus pulled into her driveway. She opened the car door, not expecting him to get out and walk her to her door. But he did anyway. He still hadn't been invited inside of her home. And to be honest, he never expected her to. Klaus could always compel her to do so. His silly brother never snuck her vervain of any kind. But Klaus didn't want to force such a thing. He didn't want to use his habitual schemes on Hayley; she didn't deserve it.

"You don't have to walk me to the door." Hayley murmured through a sad smirk. She didn't like how nice he was being to her. Usually there time together was spent picking on each other and acting like they didn't enjoy spending time with one another. But Klaus ignored her command. He stood on the bottom stair to her front door, leaving a gap between them. He didn't want her to feel like he was pushing something more than friendship. That was never what he wanted from her. The prophecy was clear: Hayley was meant for Elijah, not him. And although Klaus could see her beauty and everything that would appeal to his brother, he could never fall in love with her like his brother had.

Klaus now watched, with his arms crossed, as Hayley shuffled through her purse to get her keys for the front door. He glanced at the large and dark house; already knowing it was completely empty. She finally grabbed her keys, the metal jingling in her hand. But Klaus looked up to see her studying him closely.

"You and me…" Hayley started. "We're so similar." She said sadly.

Klaus tilted his head and slowly walked up the stairs so he was now standing right next to her. "How so?" He purred with a sneer even though he knew perfectly well what she meant.

"You're lonely." She whispered. "But you refuse to let anyone see it. You never show any emotion that you haven't planned out in advance." Klaus didn't know what to say. He was speechless. "Where is everyone you love? Where are your siblings? Your friends?" She questioned. Klaus didn't know how she was so sure he had siblings. He'd never spoken about them before. But then again, he knew Hayley had a sister without her ever talking about it. They read each other so well because they hid the same things.

Klaus stepped closer to her, dancing along the edge of friend and intimate. "My family doesn't care about me." He told her clearly. "They didn't choose me. So I abandoned them." Then his eyes glanced at the ground. "It left me with nobody." Then he felt something cold grab his hand. Hayley had intertwined her fingers with him, covering his hand with hers. Klaus never talked to anyone like this. Not even his sister, whom he was the closest with in his desiccated family. To express such feelings showed his vulnerability and his weakness. But Hayley would never use such things against him because she knew what if felt like.

"That's not true." Hayley whispered. "You have me." Then she wrapped her arms around him. Klaus didn't know how to embrace her back. Such an action was completely foreign to him. But it only took a moment for his body to react. His hands wrapped around her tiny frame and rested on her back. As he felt her heartbeat against his chest, Klaus realized he'd never felt so human in his millennium of being a vampire. Hayley then pulled away. "You're always going to have me." She quickly said before going inside and leaving him alone on the front porch. Her back rested against the door as she breathed heavily. Had she just crossed the line and pushed the limits of their friendship too far?

* * *

Hayley was drawing in her sketchpad. Her pencil slowed as Elijah started consuming her thoughts. It started getting harder and harder to focus on the paper in front of her. She felt ridiculous. While he was out, trying to kill his brother, she was left alone here to wait. Hope: that's all she was able to do. Hayley had never felt so helpless in her entire life. She dropped her pencil on the table and stood up. Slowly, she walked to the window, staring out at the forest behind her house.

It was dark now; the sun had set over an hour ago. Even though it was dangerous, Hayley decided she wanted to go for a run. With no ignorance of vampires, she somehow didn't allow it to affect her life. Perhaps it was her stubbornness or her refusal to let the fear control her. But Hayley put on her running shoes and went outside. She decided the least she could do was stay out of the woods. She made sure to stay on sidewalks and streets. But oddly, there was hardly any people or cars around. Only one or two had passed her so far. It was like a disturbing silence at enveloped the town.

After Hayley had run a few miles, she slowed to a walk. She took out her headphones and was even more bothered by the strange feeling that was falling over her. She was walking toward a bridge and was surprised to see two figures in the distance. As she got closer, Hayley saw that they seemed to be fighting and could hear their raised voices. Then her eyes squinted and recognized Luke. She sprinted forward, hoping she could stop a fight from breaking out.

"Luke!" She yelled once she was a few feet away. The stranger that he was talking to had his back to her and didn't even acknowledge her. "What the hell's going on here?" Hayley asked carefully. Her eyes nervously went back and forth between the two boys. Then she recognized the stranger as one of the guys on Luke's hockey team. She believed his name was Joey. But there was something in his eyes that Hayley found strange. They didn't match him.

Luke stared into them. Hayley could see the rage running out of him. "What's your problem?" He said to Joey as he shoved him back. Hayley placed a hand over Luke's chest, trying to get him to move away. She remembered what happened last time she tried to so such a thing, but he didn't retaliate against her this time.

"I know what you did! Everyone on the team does. They told me what you did. They told me you slept with my girlfriend! You slept with Sarah!" Joey yelled.

"Dude, I don't know what the fuck you're talking about. I haven't even talked to Sarah since we were in Elementary school." Luke said calmly. Hayley could tell Joey was unconvinced.

"Come on, Luke. Let's just go." Hayley said calmly as she grabbed Luke's hand.

"You're gonna let the bitch pull you from a fight?" Joey snapped.

With that comment, Luke shoved past Hayley. He grabbed Joey by his t-shirt. "I didn't sleep with your girlfriend. Get your facts right." The words seethed out of him before he shoved his so hard that he fell back to the ground.

"Luke!" Hayley said. He turned. "Please, let's leave." She pleaded. He saw the desperation in her eyes and he slowly nodded his head. But out of nowhere, Joey tackled him to the ground. Before Luke could react, Joey punched him. Hayley went into panic and rushed over to pull Joey off of him, but he shoved her away and she flew back, hitting her head on the metal railing of the bridge.

A sparse of rage surged through Luke. He flipped Joey over so he was above him and punched him. Luke didn't stop. He continued to land punch after punch. But Joey stopped moving. Luke seemed to snap out of it then. Hayley slowly got up and walked over to them, already sensing something horrible. Luke jumped off of Joey, slowly backing away with his eyes filled with horror.

Hayley bent down next to his body. Her hand shook as her fingers reached at his throat to find a pulse. She slowly turned and glanced up at Luke. "He's dead." Her voice shook. "Luke, he's...he's dead."

"No." Luke whispered. His hands went through his hair. "NO!"

"It's going to be okay. We'll tell the cops it was self-defense. I'm not going to let you get in trouble for this. It's not your fault." Hayley stared down at Joey's lifeless body. "I don't understand…it was like he was possessed or something."

Unexpectedly, Luke dropped to his knees. He let out a cry of pain as his hand went to his stomach. Hayley rushed over to him. But when he looked up, Luke's eyes flowed a glowing yellow. "It's happening." He whispered. Beads of sweat already covered his face from the agony.

"What? What's happening?" Hayley urged.

Luke ignored her question and looked up at the sky. "It's a full moon."

Hayley followed his gaze. "So?" Then he let out another yell and fell onto his back. "Luke, what's happening?" She yelled at him. He shook in pain and his limbs started stirring in unnatural ways. His eyes were squeezed shut.

Hayley lay a hand on his arm, trying to comfort him in some way. But the action made his eyes snap open. "Hayley..." Luke panted. "You need to get out of here. GET AWAY FROM ME!" His yell turned into a growl. She fell back at the surprise, holding her body up by her hands.

"Please, Luke, just tell me what's going on!" Hayley begged.

"I'm already changing. I know you'll believe this." Luke gasped. "There aren't just vampires, Hayley. There are things. There-" But he was interrupted with another wave of pain. As soon as it stopped, his eyes locked with hers. "RUN!" But with his command, his eyes turned yellow again and his teeth were replaced with fangs and canine like teeth. Hayley jumped to her feet at the sight. With one last stare at his distorting body, she sprinted away and didn't look back.

Her heart was racing. As Hayley sprinted down the street, she heard Luke yell. But what was more disturbing was how it quickly turned into a howl. He's a werewolf, Hayley thought. _But how, do they exist too?_ She wondered. But her thoughts were interrupted when she heard another howl. It was closer than before. Hayley's heart dropped when she realized the wolf, or Luke, was chasing her. The adrenaline rushed as her sprint turned even faster. If werewolves were anything like vampire, there was no way she was going to outrun it.

By some miracle, Hayley had gone running with her cell phone instead of with her regular iPod. She sprinted in between two houses, giving herself just a seconds rest. Her fingers shook as she went through her contacts and found Elijah's number. She didn't know what she expected it to do, calling him. He was on the other side of the country. As the phone rang, her mind thought of what he'd said to her. _"I will always try to be there for you."_ She knew to never trust it, but over time she had. Except, here she was in danger and she knew that no one was going to save her. While, unknowingly, Elijah was daggered in the basement of the Salvatore Boarding House.

Hayley almost wanted to break down when the phone went to an automated voice message. She wished she could have just heard his voice, even if it was a voicemail. It was a comfort her heart yearned for. If this was how her life would end, it was the only thing she wished for before it happened. Then she heard the howl again and her body went into a surge of adrenaline once again. She weaved in between houses at a sprint, hoping to lose the wolf or at least confuse it.

Hayley took a turn through a backyard, realizing she wasn't far from her house. She didn't understand how Luke hadn't caught her yet. But she didn't know the first transition was the hardest. The body didn't know what form to stick to. But Hayley didn't slow down. Her heart leapt in her chest when she saw her house from a distance. But her small victory was crushed when she heard the wolf howl again and it was closer than it had ever been.

As her feet hit her driveway's pavement, Hayley looked at her phone again. She started dialing a number as she slammed her front door closed and bolted the lock. _Maybe werewolves are like vampires_, she thought. Maybe they need to be invited to get inside. _I'm not that lucky_, Hayley then said to herself. She waited through the ringing for someone to pick up. But as she did so, she rushed to her kitchen and reached for the cabinet above her fridge. Her dad stored a gun and bullets there ever since they were little. But the bullets were in a package that was taped such a dozen times, making it nearly impossible for easy access.

"Hello, love." A voice said the second the phone was picked up.

"Nick, I…I don't know what to do. I didn't know who else to call." Hayley was too panicked to hide her fear and pretend to be okay. Her voice shook and it was easily heard how terrified she was.

"What is it? What's happened?" Klaus immediately snapped.

"Umm…it's an animal, a wolf. I got inside my house…but-I know this sounds crazy, but I don't think that's going to stop it." Hayley held her breath, scared that he was going to say she was being ridiculous, that there weren't any wolves in Chicago.

"I'll be right there." He replied before hanging up the phone.

Hayley didn't know what she expected him to do. She suddenly became upset with bringing him into this. If anything, he would only get killed along with her. She shook the thought out of her head as her fingers frantically tried to open the case of bullets. Even if she managed to get it open, did she honestly plan to kill Luke? _I won't aim for the heart; I'll just slow him down._ Hayley mentally promised herself.

"Come on, come on." She hissed at the duct tape that was impossible to rip off. Even if she did get it open, she had no idea how to use a gun. She would literally be basing it off of all that she'd seen in movies. But she could hear Luke howling right outside. The sound caused shivers to go down her spine. But then, all at once, the sound abruptly stopped. It was followed by a knock at the door. Hayley's entire body froze. She didn't know if she should answer it or not. Then there was another knock, more urgent this time. Hayley slowly walked toward the door. The gun was still in one hand with the bullets in the other. She could only see a shadow through the mosaic glass. Had Luke gone back to his human form?

Hayley's hand shook as she reached for the doorknob. There was a moment of hesitation before her skin touched the cold metal. Her nerves caused her to whip open the door. Hayley let out a gasp of relief when Nick stood on her porch. She wrapped her arms around him. He immediately reacted, holding onto her tightly as her face became buried into his chest. She was shaking uncontrollably.

"We have to get inside." Hayley rushed. Her hands gripped his shoulders as her eyes tore into his.

"Hayley, there's nothing out here." Klaus stated calmly. She was never supposed to be there when Luke transitioned. He would never put her in such danger. The plan had been set so she was nowhere near the stupid boy when Klaus compelled his peer to upset him.

Hayley's eyes now feverishly looked around outside, expecting Luke to pop out at any moment. But then she felt Nick grab her hand softly. Her eyes flickered to his. "Perhaps it was just a rabid dog." He offered, even though he knew the truth.

Hayley shook her head, neither arguing nor agreeing with him. Klaus could hear her heart still racing a mile a minute. "Do you…would you like to come in?" She offered. But really, she just didn't want to be alone. Nick's jaw clenched before he nodded firmly. He'd wished for this for quite some time, just to know she trusted him enough. But it felt wrong happening this way.

Hayley only took a few steps inside before she sat on the stairs. With her elbows balanced on her knees and her face hidden in her hands, Klaus watched her completely break down. Her entire body was trembling but she wasn't crying. Klaus didn't know what to do. He'd never handled anything like this before, because he never had any friends who needed him like Hayley needed him now.

After a few moments, Klaus slowly sat down next to her on the stairs. "I'm losing my mind." Hayley whispered, her voice shaking through every word.

Klaus stared straight forward. "We all lose our minds at some point, darling."

Hayley slowly uncovered her face from her hands to look at him. She narrowed her eyes at him even though he was staring into space. "You don't have to stay. I'm fine now." The fear had gone. But now her body was aching and tired from all of it and the adrenaline that came with. Her stomach still felt sick, but she could handle being on her own. It was what she'd gotten best at. She'd thought Nick's presence would make everything better, but it did nothing. He wasn't the one she wanted sitting at her side. Hayley didn't understand why she constantly compared him to Elijah, that she put so much expectation onto Nick.

"Do you want me to go?" Klaus asked her roughly.

Hayley looked at the ground as her jaw tightened and her lips pressed. "Yes." She stated loud and clear. Klaus got up immediately. Before she could watch him go, Hayley raced up the stairs to her bedroom. It was a test he would not pass. She wanted to him to stay but she didn't think it was right. She was testing him to see if he would stay because he could read that it wasn't what she really wanted. But only Elijah would realize such a thing, not Klaus.

Klaus watched Hayley as she slammed her bedroom door behind her. Before he walked to the door, something on the floor caught his attention. It was her cell phone. He picked it up and looked at her recent calls. He read Elijah's name on the screen and that she'd called his brother only minutes before him. He dropped the phone on the ground, almost shattering the screen. He turned and walked to the door. His strong grip on the front door's handle hesitated before he opened and slammed the door shut.

Outside Hayley's house was three of Klaus' vampire followers. They stood patiently for him, waiting for further instruction. Two males and one female: their bodies were all stiff once they saw he was clearly angry.

"Who was the fool that compelled the fight to happen by her?" Klaus said slow and deep. It was more terrifying than if he were screaming at them.

"She came out of nowhere, Klaus. She'd been running and saw Luke from a distance." One of the men stated.

"Then why did you not kill the beast as soon as he started transitioning in front of her?" Klaus growled.

"You gave us specific order not to kill the boy!" The girl spoke up. The second she said it, Klaus raced in front of her. His hand shoved into her chest. He waited to watch the pain in horror spread across her face. Then he ripped out her heart dropping it to the ground along with her dead body.

Klaus then turned to face the other two. "Clean up this mess." He instructed. "Watch over the house for the night. If anything happens her, I promise you'll join this one." He stated as he gestured to the corpse now sprawled on Hayley's driveway. The two vampires simply nodded their heads, knowing better than to say even a single word.

* * *

**A) I know that was very similar to how Mason got turned...but whatever lol**

**B) I hope it's not annoying/confusing that I keep switching between call Niklaus Klaus and Nick...**

**Please review! If it wasn't for reviews, I probably would've just stopped writing this fanfic.**


	8. VIII

**Thank you for your everlasting patience. It means the world. **

* * *

Hayley didn't hear from Nick for two weeks. And during that time, Luke had failed to come to school. She began to think he was dead. There were missing signs all over town. There was an announcement about him every day in school on the intercom. Along with that was the memorial for Joey's death. Hayley seemed to be the only one who knew the truth. No one else was even suspicious about the two events being connected.

Over the short time, Hayley's anger and hate had grown. There was too many secrets to keep, too many things she couldn't let out of her mind. As she sat in math class, her eyes had heavy shadows underneath. She hadn't heard from Elijah and she had already started convincing herself that Klaus had found someway to kill him just like his brother had planned for him.

The last bell of the day finally rang and Hayley grabbed her backpack, rushing out of the class without even waiting for the teacher to excuse them. As she was at her locker to grab all of her things, she felt someone's presence. She looked up to see her best friend, Janet, watching her closely.

"Hey." Janet said softly.

"Hi." Hayley responded curtly.

"Listen, I don't know how else to say this…but you've been acting weird ever since Luke went missing. You guys were friends and I know that you deal with things differently. But Hayley...are you okay?" Janet waited carefully.

Hayley didn't look at her friend as she slammed her locker shut. "I'm fine." She snapped before walking away without another look at her friend. As she walked through the student parking lot to her car, she ignored everyone. Over time, she'd disconnected herself with everyone around her. It was easier, but it also hurt more. Her car sped through the streets back home. She didn't know why she was in such a rush to go back to an empty house. Hayley slowly walked inside, dropping her backpack on the tile and her keys on the kitchen counter.

She sprawled across the couch in the living room, her hands covering her eyes. Her parents hadn't been home in a month while her sister was always busy with work and lived on her own. The time after school to the time she went to bed she had all to herself. But Hayley didn't want it. She was sick of it.

After minutes upon minutes past, Hayley grabbed her cell phone from her pocket. Without even thinking about it, she started dialing his number again. It was such a pathetic habit she'd developed. Ever since she'd tried calling Elijah the night Luke almost killed her, she called him every day. But it was always the same. He never picked up. Hayley had come up with two theories: either Elijah was dead or he decided he wanted nothing to do with her anymore.

She stared just at his name on her phone. That alone bothered her. She tossed her cell phone on the carpet a second before it started ringing. Hayley practically fell off the couch about to answer it. She was so shocked that she didn't even bother looking at the screen. Her heart was to blame; it yearned for it to be him so badly.

"Hello!" Hayley nearly shouted.

"There's no need to yell, sweetheart." Nick said. She could hear his words being said through a smile.

"Nick." She barely whispered, too disappointed to even try to hide it.

"Sorry, were you expecting someone better?" He teased her. They both knew that they shouldn't be acting as if everything was fine between them. Hayley hadn't talked to Nick since she basically kicked him out of her house that night.

"No…No, sorry." Hayley muttered as she squeezed the bridge of her nose. She waited for him to continue, but she was only given silence. "Is there something you wanted?" She asked him rudely.

"Now why do you assume I want something?" It sounded like he was smiling, but Klaus was actually hurt that she would simulate such a thing.

"Because there's rarely a time when you don't." Hayley stated harshly.

"Well…you won't have to deal with my neediness much longer."

Hayley sat up straighter and her brow creased. "What's that supposed to mean?" She challenged him, feeling like he was trying to start some kind of game.

"I found something that I once believed was lost. And I've been searching for quite some time. I'll be leaving soon. I thought you ought to know."

Hayley didn't want to hear it, just another person going away. Was she the only person that didn't have some reason to leave, the only one who was always left behind? Before she could stop her rage from completely taking over, Hayley hung up the phone without saying anything to him.

* * *

Once night had fallen, Hayley's doorbell rang. She quickly walked to the door, expecting it to be a stranger of some sort. But her eyes widened in surprise when she saw Nick standing on her porch. He was in his usual attire: a cotton shirt with the first few buttons undone and medallions that looked quite old hung from his neck. Had also had on a leather jacket, the collar popped up slightly. But Hayley was too distracted with the two people standing a few yards away, watching her. She looked back and forth between them and Nick.

"What's going on?" She asked him slightly nervous. The only thing keeping her calm was Nick's relaxed demeanor. But there was something different about him. He seemed excited or happy in a way she'd never seen. His eyes were filled with something that he'd never had since she'd known him.

"I simply came to say goodbye." Klaus said charmingly.

"Didn't you already do that on the phone?" Hayley accused rudely.

For a second, Klaus' smirk vanished and was replaced with the responsibility of upsetting Hayley. He knew he would regret leaving her. But she would only get in the way at Mystic Falls. Niklaus was the most feared original. If he brought someone that his enemies could recognize as valuable, it would be his only weakness.

"It was not a proper goodbye." Klaus said smoothly. He took a step closer, but Hayley backed away. Her arms were crossed as she glared at him. "I'll come back. I give you my word." Klaus urged. But he didn't realize the effect of his words. Hayley's eyes widened at them and her entire body froze. It was exactly what Elijah had said before he left.

"What did you just say?" She whispered without meaning to.

"I _will_ come back. I give you my word." Klaus repeated. His eyes squinted at her racing heartbeat as she heard him say it again. Somehow he caught on. He knew it was something his brother would say to her. Where was Elijah? He was a fool to leave her all alone, though Klaus took full advantage of his mistake.

Hayley shook her head, trying to act normal again. Her eyes stared at the two that had come with him. One was a man who looked like he hadn't smiled in years. He was short and stocky with his facial features all dominant. The other was a girl who didn't look much older than her. She had dark skin and deep brown, curly hair.

"Who are your minions?" Hayley mocked Nick, not realizing that it was exactly what they really were.

Klaus barely glanced over his shoulder at them. "Maddox and Greta…they're friends of mine."

"Do you have any 'friends' that have normal names?" Hayley ridiculed. Not only did she not believe they were his friends, but she made fun of them too. Her eyes didn't stop glaring at them, even as she continued to talk to Nick.

Klaus finally gave them his full attention. "Wait for me at the car." He instructed them less severely than usual since Hayley was in his presence. Otherwise, she would find it suspicious. She was smart and read him too well.

"What the hell is going on?" Hayley indicted.

Klaus smirked at her suspicions. "You worry too much."

"Something's changed. You're acting different." He took a step closer, about to fabricate a huge lie of some sort. But he stopped himself. He wouldn't lie to her; he would just simply keep her in the dark. Hayley didn't step away from him this time. Her eyes looked at the ground as she finally uncrossed her arms. "Whatever you're doing…wherever you're going…will you tell me what it is once you're back?"

Klaus smiled sadly. He nodded his head. Then Hayley rushed to him, hugging him tightly. Her chin rested on his shoulder for just a moment before she ripped away. Hayley accidentally locked eyes with him before retreating back inside and slamming the door shut. Klaus knew what happened, as did she.

* * *

A few days had passed since Klaus left. Hayley now sat outside in the unkind weather. Every day seemed to get colder and colder. Winter was threatening to take over soon. Hayley's nose was red and she stared at the white air that escaped her mouth every time she let out a breath.

She glanced behind her at the door back into the house. Through the glass, she could see the two bags she had packed. She'd had enough of this town, of this loneliness. Elijah was dead. She could feel it. Luke was most likely dead or had completely lost himself to the monster that he'd transformed into that night. Nick was living a secret life he refused to share with her. But could she really be mad at him for it? Especially after she kept so much from him as well.

But Hayley couldn't think of reasons to stay any more. Her sister would understand. Janet would understand. Anyone, who was worth caring about leaving, would understand. She didn't know where she would go or how. All she knew is that it was time to leave. There was nothing left for her anymore. Hayley scraped a layer of frost, from the early morning, off of a flower's petal. A smirk appeared on her lips when she guessed how long it would take her absent parents to notice she was gone. A week at least, maybe weeks if she were lucky. _Will they even call the police?_

Hayley's cell phone started vibrating in the pocket of her leather jacket. She didn't want to answer it. She couldn't see the point. But just before it was too late, Hayley got a strange feeling. It was just like the sensation her and Elijah got when their skin even just barely grazed. It was the prophecy proving to them that they were meant for each other. But Hayley didn't realize any of this as she picked up the cell phone. It was a number her phone did not recognize.

"Hello?" Her voice said quietly.

"Hayley." He almost whispered, as if he couldn't believe he was speaking with her. His desiccation made his absence from her feel like a century instead of the month or so it had actually been.

Hayley immediately recognized Elijah's voice. It was like she'd been completely thrown off her feet. She couldn't breath. She couldn't talk. Her lower lip began to shake as her eyes gained a layer of tears. Her heart had dropped.

"Hayley." He urged, wanting to hear her speak.

"I…I thought you were dead." She whispered.

"It was the daggers. I did not expect them to know so much…I underestimated them." It was his only clarification. He hadn't called her to explain all of that to her. There were many other things on his mind.

"Please…Can you just please come back now?" Her words began to shake. She didn't realize Elijah could read the desperation in them perfectly.

"Niklaus." He began. "Niklaus is coming here. He's already possessed a body. It's only a matter of time before he is here himself. This is what I came here to do." Elijah didn't want to say any of it. He wanted to tell her he was on his way back to Chicago as they spoke, but he wasn't.

A single tear slowly slipped down Hayley's cheek. The wetness turned cold on her skin from the sharp weather. She didn't even bother try to rub it away. Once again, she turned to face the bags that were waiting for her inside. She tried to clear her nose that had now become runny from the mixture of being outside and her eyes uncontrollably watering.

"I was going to leave." Hayley muttered.

"What?" Elijah asked, not fully understanding what she meant.

"I was going to leave town. I'm looking at my bags right now. I was ready to leave. There was nothing left. Elijah…I'm leaving."

It was a poor explanation, but it didn't matter. He completely understood what she meant, what was happening. Elijah had completely misjudged how much had changed with her in such little time. "Hayley, stay where you are." He said sternly. "The full moon is tomorrow night." He paused for a moment. "Just one day and I will be at your side."

Hayley let out a shaky exhale. She could wait two days. But there was something else. "Elijah…what if something happens?" She started speaking faster. "What if you get daggered again? What-What if your brother kills you before you can kill him?" She challenged.

"Hayley…" He started.

"But what if he does?" Hayley asked slow and loud, already knowing he was going to try to reassure and reason against her in some way.

There was silence on the other end of the phone. Elijah could have argued that Niklaus didn't even know he was in Mystic Falls, that he didn't even know his older brother had been searching for ways to kill him all this time. But Elijah knew none of that would make Hayley feel better.

"One day." Elijah confirmed.

"If you're not here…" Hayley started to whisper, but stopped herself. They both knew what she was about to say _'…then I'll know you're really gone."_ But she couldn't bear to say the words aloud.

"Hayley, I-"

"I'll be here." She cut him off. "Waiting. Like I always have been." She knew he was about to tell her he loved her. But she couldn't handle knowing that if he was going to his death. Other people would want to know after what they'd been through that he loved her all along. But knowing that and then losing him would destroy Hayley. She would never mend.

"You will never have to wait for me again." Elijah told her.

A sad smile appeared on her light pink lips. "Good-bye Elijah."

* * *

Klaus could feel the pain, the suffering. But it took him a moment to realize it wasn't from the transformation. He wasn't becoming the hybrid he'd dreamed about for centuries. He was dying. Somehow the bloody witch was alive and she was killing him. There was no way it would be enough, not even if she killed herself in the process. That was when the scattered flames lit the figure that was slowly walking toward him. He recognized the face immediately, even though it had been over a century since he had seen his older brother. So this was how he was going to die, by the hands of his own kin?

"Elijah." He gasped through the pain.

"Hello, brother." Elijah said as he looked down onto him. There was no mercy in his eyes, no sympathy. _He'll do it._ Klaus thought. _He'll kill me._ Before he could say anything, Elijah had thrust his hand in Klaus' chest. A sound of agony escaped from his mouth. He could feel the pressure around his heart from his brother's grip.

"In the name of our family, Niklaus." Elijah started.

"I didn't bury them at sea!" Klaus immediately indicated.

"What?"

"Their bodies are safe." He assured his older brother. "If you kill me…you'll never find them." Klaus gasped.

"ELIJAH! Don't listen to him." Stefan interrupted. And for a second, Elijah almost listened. But then Klaus continued.

"If I die. Hayley will be killed." He lied. Elijah's eyes snapped away from Stefan to meet his brother's once again. There was rage and fright in his own. He couldn't dare challenge his brother on her life. It was absolutely possible. There could be vampires outside her house, waiting to be called off. It was all a lie though. Klaus would never truly threaten her life. But Elijah was completely unaware of what had transpired between them when he was gone.

"Let me take you to them." Klaus sustained. "I give you my word, brother. They will be safe and so will she."

"Do it and I'll take you both out!" Bonnie warned.

"You'll die." Elijah growled.

"I don't care."

Time seemed to slow as Elijah looked back and forth between his brother and them. He'd made a promise to Hayley. She was waiting for him, the girl who was always expecting him. He couldn't let her down. Elijah watched Klaus for a second before rushing away with him, saving his little brother from the death he deserved. As they escaped, all he could hear was Bonnie and Stefan's cries as he betrayed them and broke the promise he had made them. But there was another promise he valued above all and this was the only way of keeping it.

* * *

Through all of Niklaus' feeding and slaughtering, Elijah couldn't get a hold of Hayley. He was too busy cleaning up after his brother. What had he done? The whole night was filled with screams of terror from Niklaus' victims. But all Elijah could think of was Hayley. He didn't even have a phone to call and inform her of everything that had changed. When he had spoken to her before, it had been with Elena's cell phone when she had left him at the Lockwood mansion.

Elijah now watched his brother slowly waking up from the forest floor. He was completely unclothed, but his clothes were not far from him. Elijah had made sure of that. He tossed them over as his younger brother stared at the sun.

"You've been busy." Elijah stated darkly.

"That was amazing." Klaus said. "How long has it been?"

"Almost two days. The full moon came and went, you remained a wolf."

Klaus smirked at the observation. "I can change at will then. Good to know." Suddenly, he looked pleased with himself. "I can remember every single kill."

Elijah remained unfazed. "Yes, I've been cleaning up your mess along the way." He informed his reckless brother.

"Just like old times, brother." Klaus sneered.

But Elijah had enough of their small talk. He shoved his younger brother across the meadow and into a tree. "If she's hurt in any way, I'll finish what I started the other night." Elijah growled and barely took a step back. "You've had your fun. I believe we have a bargain." He shoved boots into Klaus' hands.

"That's right!" Klaus mocked him. Then his eyes darkened. "We both know that no one can kill me now." Then he read Elijah's face. It was different. At first he didn't recognized what it was. But he soon figured it out. It was Hayley; that was what was different: his concern for her safety, his yearning to get back to her. Klaus hadn't seen love in his brother's eyes before, not like this.

"She's safe." Klaus confirmed. "I give you my word." Elijah didn't show any relief at the statement. Klaus took a step closer, his eyes narrowing as he observed his older brother. "I didn't believe the prophecy when I heard about it. But looking at you now, I have no choice but to give it credit."

"You know nothing of it." Elijah snapped.

"When did you become so self-centered?" Klaus questioned. "Your time apart from me really has ruined you." He smirked when he saw Elijah's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Prophecy's are never as simple as people believe." He stated vaguely. Then his demeanor became frighteningly serious. "It's not all about you."

Elijah glared at him, trying to hide his confusion. Then Klaus' amusement slowly disappeared as he recognized how truly in the dark his older brother was. "You really don't know, do you?" He asked seriously. But Elijah's only response was the tightening of his jaw and his eyes narrowing in annoyance. Klaus put on his jacket, loving how he was torturing his brother by faltering.

"The prophecy was never just for you. Hayley is more connected to our family than you realized apparently." Then Klaus' playfulness was back. "I've heard her beauty is quite unmatchable. Oh, how I can't wait to meet her!"

"I'll never let you near her." Elijah said evenly. But inside, he wanted to fully understand what Klaus meant about the prophecy. Was this just another one of Niklaus' games? He wondered. His response caused Klaus to smile even more. If only Elijah knew how familiar Hayley and his brother already were. But he was so oblivious to their strange and unexplainable bond.

"So touchy." Klaus said with a mischievous leer.

Elijah ignored him. "I believe we had a deal. Take me to them."

"Patience, dear brother. You will be reunited with our family soon enough."

But little did Elijah know, it was not in the way he was expecting. Klaus didn't know why he planned to go back on his word and betray his brother. Maybe it was because he refused to get over the fact that Elijah would have killed him last night if he hadn't said what his brother wanted to hear. Or maybe he was jealous of Elijah and Hayley's relationship. As soon as they were reunited, it was only a matter of time before Elijah figured out that Hayley had met and befriended Klaus. Then he would never allow her to see Niklaus again.

Klaus and Elijah walked back into the unimpressive apartment of Alaric Saltzman. Elijah carefully stood behind his brother as they both spotted Katarina and Stefan. Apparently, the old doppelgänger didn't escape from the originals as easily as she had hoped.

"Look who decided to come for a visit." Katarina tried to sound calm and collective. Elijah tried to repress a smile at how easily he saw through her act. Then his eyes fell uncomfortably on Stefan's. After all, he had betrayed the young vampire.

"You just keep popping up, don't you?" Klaus said to Stefan.

"I need your help...for my brother."

Klaus didn't appear surprised by the request. "Well, whatever it is, it's going to have to wait a tick. You see… I have an obligation to _my_ brother. It requires my immediate attention." He motioned casually to Elijah before walking from the room.

Elijah watched Stefan for a moment before confidently stepping forward. "You understand the importance of family or you wouldn't be here." He stated. "Something beyond my family was in danger." Elijah added vaguely, causing Stefan to narrow his eyes in confusion. Stefan was able to hear Klaus mutter a girl's name before Elijah could finish him. Hayley, was it? But Elijah didn't explain further. "My brother gave me his word that he would reunite me with my own."

"And so I shall." Klaus said casually. Just as Elijah turned to face his younger brother, his heart was met with the dagger. He let out a cry, more from betrayal than pain. He tried fighting Klaus, putting all his quickly fading strength into trying to rip the dagger back out. But Klaus was the brand new original hybrid. And there was nothing Elijah could do.

Klaus dramatically brushed his brother's cheek. "Shh." He calmed Elijah condescendingly. "Don't worry dear brother, I'll look after her." Klaus purred. But he knew all along it wouldn't comfort his older brother, but only desiccate him with the thought of Hayley being in danger.

Elijah could feel his body getting weaker and weaker, shutting down as the effect spread. Just before the darkness completely incased him, he saw visions of her. It felt just like the very first one where she was on the beach. It had been the first time he saw her or even knew of the prophecy. But this was something he'd never seen before. Elijah gasped as the he let the vision take over.

Hayley was fast asleep on a bed. Her blonde-red hair all pushed on one side of her neck. The rising sun was peaking through the window and fell on the back of he head, making her hair shine and almost shimmer. She slept on her stomach, her back completely exposed. Thin white sheets hid the rest of her body. Then Elijah heard her whisper in his head. She was still asleep, yet he heard her talking to him.

"_I'm waiting, Elijah."_ Hayley's voice whispered. _"I'll always wait for you…Please…please come back to me."_

There was an inhaling noise just before a ringing of silence. Elijah was now completely desiccated. Those were the last images and sounds he heard before his time was forced away from him.

* * *

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	9. Part IX

**Thank you for your patients and your wonderful reviews! They're always appreciated. Enjoy :)**

* * *

One day passed. Two days passed. Three days passed. No phone call. No sign. No Elijah. Hayley thought it would feel different, knowing he was dead. For some reason, she thought she'd be able to sense it somehow. But there was nothing. No waking up in the middle of the night. No sick feeling in her gut. Absolutely nothing.

There were shadows underneath her eyes from the lack of sleep that always haunted her. She stared at the counter as she waited for the mug of tea to cool off in front of her. Her bags still sat by the door, just begging to be taken out of the lonely house. Hayley started to unpack them when she got off the phone with Elijah, but the pathetic hope she still possessed had stopped her. What a fool she'd been, thinking she'd get some kind of happy ending.

Without even touching her tea, Hayley rushed upstairs and changed out of her pajamas. She'd already ditched school that day. Her enhanced intelligence made the whole ordeal rather pointless for her. And most of the time, she was yelled at for not concentrating. She'd stopped seeing the point in going a while ago.

Hayley now wore her jeans, converse, and oversized military jacket. She looked around her room, deciding it was the last time she would see it. There was barely any sadness before she closed the door shut behind her. Hayley grabbed her three bags and went toward the front door. She'd left her car in the front driveway, rarely parking it inside the garage. Her back was to the street as she tossed her bags into the trunk. She stopped when she felt like someone was watching her. Hayley turned and her eyes widened when she took in Luke's appearance.

"Going somewhere?" He asked with a small smile.

"You're alive." She said through narrowed eyes.

"Hayley, I'm so sorry. Just being friends with you turned out to be dangerous." Luke said, disgusted with his self.

"You're…a werewolf?" She muttered quietly. But she had already known the answer. The idea had settled in her mind a long time ago. Nothing really seemed ridiculous anymore. Vampires, werewolves…pretty soon zombies would turn up.

"Not until that night." Luke clarified. "I wasn't one until I…I killed Joey. It's what triggers the gene…the curse." Then he finally looked around, realizing that he shouldn't be talking about it so out in the open. "Can we go inside?" He asked.

Hayley took in a breath and glanced at the trunk that was still open. Half of her bags were already inside. She looked at the one still in her hand. Luke had always been her friend and she was glad that he was alive. But he wasn't enough to stop her. He just couldn't help her in any way. No matter how much he wanted to.

But Hayley was unaware that Luke wasn't truly himself. The night he had almost killed her from his transition, Klaus had saved her, just at the knick of time as well. But after the original had stopped Luke from doing anything stupid, he compelled Luke. He wasn't allowed to tell her anything about him or vampires. And while Klaus was away, Luke was meant to protect her. Not that he would ever do anything else on his own choice. But now he was aware of the dangers she could get herself into and he would give up his own life to save her.

"No." Hayley said seriously. "We can't go inside." She saw the confusion in Luke's expression. "I'm leaving."

The compulsion suddenly kicked in. Luke rushed forward, taking the bag out of her hand. "What? You can't go!" He snapped a little.

This ignited something in Hayley. Since she wouldn't allow herself to be sad any longer, it was replaced with rage and hostility. She ripped the bag back and was only able to because she caught Luke off guard. "You think you can just come out of nowhere, after weeks of being gone, and tell me what I can do! You almost killed me that night. By some miracle…I don't even know. But I didn't get killed." She tossed the bag inside of the trunk and closed it. With her back turned to Luke, Hayley grasped the edge of the car as her head hung.

Slowly, she turned and faced Luke. "I'm done with this town, this house, these people. And there is nothing you can say that will stop me." Her voice didn't waver or show any indication that she could be persuaded otherwise.

"I'll come with you." Luke said after a pause.

"That's not what I meant." Hayley immediately answered.

"Look, you can't leave, Hayley. It's your senior year of high school, you have your friends here and your sister… you have me." He urged. Although all the things he was saying came from an honest part of him, only the reasoning for it was being pushed by Klaus' compulsion on him. Under no circumstances was Luke meant to allow Hayley to leave or put her into a dangerous scenario.

Hayley finally seemed to have started listening to him. She sighed and her eyes couldn't tear away from Luke's pleading ones. She didn't understand what it was that was making her think twice about her decision. It wasn't as if Luke was compelling her to stay. But Hayley had this feeling, this something that was telling her she couldn't leave. There was something left that needed to find her.

"If I stay, will I be in danger of getting killed by a werewolf?" Hayley asked Luke in a darkly sarcastic voice. But he smiled anyways, feeling like he was finally getting somewhere with her.

"I'd never let that happen." He said calmly with a small smirk.

But Hayley wasn't done being serious. "But you can't control it."

Luke's jaw tightened at her statement. It was true. He couldn't control it, at least not on a full moon. He'd gotten good at controlling his anger over the years. His father didn't keep the werewolf gene away from him. Luke always knew being a werewolf was a possibility. That's why he played sports and learned how to control his anger so it would never happen. His dad had done everything possible to make sure him and his little sister didn't become what he had. But it was a useless effort. The gene was an inevitable curse.

"It's going to take practice." Luke finally said, realizing he had gotten lost in his own thoughts. Hayley shifted as she looked past Luke, thinking.

"Do you think I belong here?" Hayley finally asked him.

He made sure he chose his words carefully. "I think everyone in this miserable suburb knows you belong somewhere better." Then he paused. "But can you honestly say that leaving this way feels like it's supposed to?"

Hayley knew she could lie and say yes. She'd be able to lie so well that Luke would completely believe her and maybe even let her go willingly. But she didn't really see the point. Now she was looking at him. His eyes were filled with the secret only she knew, his muscles even thicker from the hidden wolf. But his heart didn't change. Luke was still the loving and gentle person who cared for Hayley since they were kids.

"Why couldn't you just let me go?" She finally whispered.

Luke smirked at that, understanding that he'd finally convinced her to stay. "Okay, well…it's freezing out here. Being a werewolf, it doesn't matter to me. But there would be no point in making you stay if you froze to death." His smile beamed even brighter when Hayley laughed a little at his joke. "So how about I make you hot chocolate and you can ask me anything you want?" Luke asked kindly.

Hayley watched him closely, wondering why she had Luke. She didn't believe she deserved him. "Yeah. That sounds good." He nodded his head and grabbed her bags out of the trunk without waiting for her to say another word. He didn't need an invitation has he effortlessly carried them through her front door.

Hayley viewed him a shy smile. But as soon as he disappeared inside, it vanished. Her skin was covered in goose bumps. Not from coolness, it was something else. Hayley turned and looked around, waiting for someone to be looking at her that she hadn't noticed right away. But she was alone on her street. Not even a car was passing by.

"Please don't be dead." She whispered to herself. It was the last time she tried to convince herself that Elijah was alive. But it was a wasted effort. Hayley couldn't bear to torture herself with false hope any longer.

* * *

Klaus and Rebekah waited in Gloria's empty bar as the witch worked her magic. Stefan came in and his eyes narrowed at the scene in front of him. He asked what the witch was doing. But neither of the originals bothered to inform him on what exactly was happening. A few minutes later, Gloria had found the necklace necessary to figure out why Klaus couldn't make hybrids.

"I need more time…and space." The witch explained. It wasn't like she received some map of the necklace's exact location. It all came in a rush of images. But she made eye contact with Klaus that was more than just a mere glance.

His eyes barely narrowed before he understood there was something else. "Would you give us a moment?" He asked his sister and Stefan.

The two exchanged confused looks, both believing he was about to kill Gloria for not being completely successful during her first attempt. But Klaus glared at their hesitation. "Now." He growled. Stefan didn't need to be asked twice and Rebekah just groaned at being told what to do. 90 years and nothing had changed.

As soon as Klaus heard when they were out of listening distance, he closed the distance between him and Gloria. "What are you not telling me?"

But Gloria didn't seem concerned with his hostility. "I think you mean what _you're_ not telling anyone." She said slowly and clearly.

Klaus tilted his head as he cleared. He wasn't appreciating her attitude. "Spare me the dramatics, Gloria. What did you see?" He urged.

"You know what I saw, Klaus." Gloria waited for him to respond, but he was quite. "The girl. I already know it's not the first you've heard of it."

Klaus started pacing. He never wanted anyone to know about her. He'd killed the witch that had told him the prophecy. And Elijah killed his two minions who'd found Hayley when she was just a child.

"Why did you see it? I was told prophecies are only told once to each person who is involved. It was already foreseen to me once before." Klaus said darkly.

Gloria thought about this for a moment. He was right. It was strange that she'd seen Hayley. Prophecies were not shared with many witches, not when they had been uncovered to those they pertained to and especially when they involved such special magic. They had a mind of their own and most of the time, they wanted to remain as secret as possible.

"I…I don't know. That's the first time one's ever come to me." She admitted. Klaus ignored her, becoming more frustrated with her inabilities to answer any of his questions. Gloria didn't know what else to tell him. She knew not to mess with the originals and Klaus most of all. "She's close." Gloria told him, hoping it would calm him down some bit.

"I already knew that." Klaus growled.

Gloria sighed. "Maybe there's a reason the visions came to me when you were so near, yet have failed to see her." She offered with some sass. That was when Klaus stopped pacing. He knew she had a point, but would never say so.

"I'll be back for a more precise location." Klaus growled as he stormed out of the bar. He shoved the door open and was met with blinding light from the sun. The transition from the dark bar to outside was immense.

Stefan and Rebekah turned to face him at this entrance. Rebekah was used to his raging episodes and didn't think anything of his mood. But Stefan was still getting used to them and they made him stay on his toes. The younger vampire narrowed his eyes at him.

"Both of you stay here." Klaus commanded. "I'll be back in a few hours."

Rebekah stood of straighter. "Where are you going? I want to come."

"This doesn't include you, sister. Stay here with Stefan and make sure Gloria is working on finding the necklaces precise location." He replied without missing a beat. Rebekah opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off. "Do as I say!"

Stefan looked between the two originals. The last thing he wanted to do was be left alone with Rebekah. She still thought he loved her and it would only cause even more problems if he denied it. Plus, he couldn't help but think Klaus was going to find another witch. He wanted to protect Elena and that included keeping in the loop with Klaus' scheming.

Just as Klaus started walking toward his car, Stefan caught up. "Are you really going to leave me alone with her?" Stefan asked.

"I heard that!" Rebekah snapped.

"Sorry, Stefan. But you're going to have to sit this one out." Klaus said with a less menacingly tone than before. But Stefan sighed and put on his best act for the original, making it seem like he couldn't handle the thought of managing Rebekah on his own for hours. Klaus finally exhaled in frustration.

"Get in the car, Stefan." Then he looked over at his sister. "Don't you dare think about leaving your babysitting post." He said with a smirk, knowing it would drive Rebekah crazy to be left out.

* * *

They had been driving out of the city for half an hour when Stefan couldn't help but think that they weren't going to find another witch or a vampire. Klaus' mood had changed. Stefan couldn't figure out what was different as the original sped through the streets of Chicago. It was like Klaus was nervous or unsure of what they were heading toward. But Stefan knew better than to try to ask him anything that would upset the unbalanced original.

"Am I allowed to ask where we're going?" Stefan asked casually.

"Meeting a friend." Klaus replied without taking his eyes off the road. He honestly didn't know if bringing Stefan was a horrible mistake or not. But other things had taken over his mind, such as the state he would find Hayley in. He'd taken Elijah away from her in a fit of jealousy and selfishness. Now, he feared how it had affected the young human.

Stefan's eyes narrowed when Klaus slowly pulled into a driveway of a nice house. He was large but he could only hear one person moving about inside. He waited for Klaus to get out of the car. But when he looked over, the original was gripping the steering wheel tightly and staring at the house. Then he felt Stefan's eyes on him and met his gaze.

"Don't make me regret bring you along, mate." Klaus said before opening the car door.

"What, I have to wait in the car?" Stefan said with fake nonchalance. Now he was curious as to what waited inside the house. All the time traveling with the original, he had never seen Klaus meet someone this way.

"Precisely." Klaus replied and shut the door without looking at him.

Klaus slowly made his way up the porch steps to the front door. His fist hesitated over the wooden door before it finally knocked. He could hear Hayley's movements freeze and her heartbeat speed up. It was agony hearing her footsteps slowly head toward the door as he waited for her.

It was only seconds later that the door slowly opened. Hayley stood before him wearing an oversize flannel shirt and grey cotton shorts. Her blonde-red hair was up in a messy bun. And there were a few dots of dried paint on her forearms that were showing from her sleeves being rolled up. But Klaus was too busy eyeing her physical condition. Her eyes seemed to have gained permanent shadows underneath. Whether from sleepless nights or depression, he did not know. Hayley's lean skinniness had somehow turned to a worrying form of emaciation. She had changed. The light inside of her was slowly flickering to it's death.  
At first, her face was completely emotionless. But slowly, a sad smile appeared on his lips. It was contagious as Klaus found himself matching it with his own infamous smirk. Next thing he knew, Hayley was hugging him. He couldn't help but feel joy from the genuine reaction and found himself spinning her around in a circle. She let out a small laugh. But it was nothing like her real laugh: the one Elijah had fallen in love with during his first vision of her and the one that always put a smile on Klaus' lips.

Klaus finally put her down and took a good look at her again. He was responsible for the condition she was in and he couldn't convince himself otherwise, even if he wanted to. Hadn't he compelled that bloody werewolf to watch over her? Klaus made a mental note to pay the boy a visit before he left town.

"Hello, love." He finally said softly to her.

"I was beginning to think you'd never come back." She said, glancing at the ground. Her finger placed a fallen strand of hair behind her ear.

"I promised you I'd come back." He replied. Then he heard her heartbeat jump. Klaus didn't realize that his words only reminded her of the person who hadn't kept their promise and returned. Just as he was about to ask how she was doing, even though he knew it wasn't anything good, he saw her glancing at his car.

"Who's that?" Hayley asked as her eyes met Stefan's through the windshield.

"Just a mate." Klaus said without looking behind him at the car. Hayley glared at Klaus for the vagueness of the answer. She stepped around him and waved lightly at Stefan and then gestured at him to come over.

Stefan looked confused as to what he was meant to do. Klaus had told him to stay in the car, but he wanted to follow this girl's instructions. She looked to be the same age as Elena. But they didn't look the same. Both were beautiful, but Stefan looked at this stranger as older. She seemed to have grown mentally and emotionally to an age beyond his own Elena. After a few seconds, he opened to the car door and cautiously made his way to the front door where they waited.

Klaus saw the interaction as inevitable. He wanted to compel Stefan to take the car and leave, but he knew that would not sit well with Hayley. "Hayley, you have paint all over you." He pointed out. She glanced down and saw that he was right. She retreated back inside the house to wash her hands, not realizing that it was Klaus' intention by pointing it out to her. He left the front porch and quickly walked to meet Stefan before they were in hearing range of Hayley.

He roughly grabbed the younger vampire's shoulders. "I want you to listen to me carefully." Klaus started to say. Stefan waited carefully. "You will not address me as Klaus in front of her. You will only call my Nick." Stefan narrowed his eyes at the command and nodded. Klaus' grip on him tightened even more. "And this is the only time I will demand that you control your ripper urges and cravings. You are not a vampire. I am not a hybrid. Do you understand me?" Stefan was even more confused now, but he still nodded his head.

Klaus turned away and headed inside the house without waiting for Stefan. The younger vampire followed just a few steps behind, utterly confused at how this was the strangest scenario he'd found himself in with the original, yet it was the most human of them all. He closed the door softly behind him. Then he saw Hayley walk from around the corned with a towel that she was using to dry of her hands. She looked up and smiled at him charmingly.

"Hi. I'm Hayley. Next time, you don't have to wait in the car." She teased.

Stefan quickly looked between her and Klaus before offering his hand. "I'm Stefan Salvatore. It's nice to meet you." He looked around the house. She seemed to live there all alone but it didn't seem to match her personality. Were her parents dead just like Elena's?

"Were you painting?" Klaus asked her before she could ask Stefan any personal questions. Hayley looked at him and shrugged. It was the only response she would give him. "Come on, love. Don't be shy." Klaus said with a smirk.

Hayley threw the towel at him. "Jesus Christ, Nick! How many times do I have to tell you? I hate those stupid nicknames. I'm not your pet. I have a name, use it."

* * *

They had been there for a couple of hours. Stefan got the message that he shouldn't speak much. But he watched Klaus conversing with this girl and didn't know what to think about it. He assumed they had met before Klaus had even come to Mystic Falls and ruined all of their lives. But he seemed he'd never ruined Hayley's. In fact, it felt that he had helped her.

The two were sitting at the kitchen counter, two mugs of coffee in front of them. Stefan took the opportunity to go outside and have a moment to himself. The house had a deck and patio that looked out into the forest behind. But Stefan's heightened hearing couldn't stop itself from eavesdropping on Hayley and Klaus talking. After all, she didn't realize he would be able to hear them through the walls.

"So, your friend's pretty quiet." She pointed out.

Klaus shrugged. "Just a little shy."

Hayley's stance changed suddenly. Her attention moved away from Stefan and back to Klaus. "Do you remember what you promised me before you left?"

Klaus stared at his mug. "I believe so."

Hayley waited for him to continue talking, but was only met with silence. "You promised you would tell me what was going on." She paused, twirling the spoon that was in her coffee mug. "What were you doing while you were gone? Why did you have to leave?" She said softly. But Klaus' jaw just flexed in silence.

Hayley's heart started to speed up from her frustration. "Nick, you leave without saying why, you bring these fucking friends out of nowhere that you've never told me about before, and you refuse to explain anything to me." She stopped and calmed herself down. "This isn't what friends do. They don't keep all this stuff from each other." She finished in a whisper.

"Not yet." That was all Klaus responded with. He still hadn't looked at her.

"What?" Hayley snapped.

"I can't tell you yet." He clarified. He could if he wanted to. But he was scared. He was scared of how she would react. God only knows what Elijah had told her about him. There was no way that confessing his true identity would end well. She would immediately know he had something to do with Elijah missing. But Klaus could perfectly see that she believed he was dead, not simply daggered. Klaus couldn't tell her. He didn't want this… their friendship… to end.

Hayley stood up and was about to leave her own home. But Klaus quickly caught her arm. They were both standing now, facing each other at a distance that was too close to be comfortable. Hayley's breath caught at the expression he was giving her. For the first time that night, Klaus stopped hiding his concern and worry for her. And she read it all too well.

"What happened to you?" Klaus whispered softly. He didn't care that Stefan could hear them. If he so chose, he could simply compel the young vampire to forget Hayley ever existed. But for some reason, he knew he wouldn't.

Hayley narrowed her eyes, playing up her confusion. "I don't know what you're talking about." She muttered, ripping her arm out of his grip.

But Klaus didn't let her step away from him as he took a step closer. "Yes, you do. Don't pretend like I haven't noticed. You look sick, Hayley, as if you haven't slept in months. You've changed. And I don't think you ever meant to."

Hayley's heart was racing at being so exposed. Her throat was closing and her hands wouldn't stop shaking. Her eyes finally moved from the ground to look up at him. "I was abandoned, Nick." Her voice shook. "How do you expect someone to look after that happens?"

Klaus was about say any words of comfort, something he wasn't even sure he was capable of, or tell her he was sorry for leaving. But Stefan interrupted by opening the back door. He looked at Hayley who turned away and coughed; hiding any emotion he would have been able to read. But she was fully unaware of Stefan's heightened ability to empathize with others.

Klaus couldn't decide if he was grateful for the interruption or mad. Before he could figure it out, his cell phone started ringing. He picked it up and walked toward the front door and didn't stop walking until he was outside.

Stefan and Hayley now stood alone in the kitchen. She pretended as if nothing had happened. If he hadn't overheard her conversation, he would have completely bought her little act.

"So you and Nick are friends?" Hayley asked him with a smirk as she sat back down at the kitchen counter. Her suspicions were well hid. She motioned for him to sit down where Klaus had been sitting just a few seconds ago.

"Yep." Stefan only said.

Hayley laughed and then narrowed her eyes. "You're not a very good liar." But Stefan just tilted his head a little, caught off guard by her abrasiveness. "I might not have known Nick very long. But he doesn't exactly attract people like you. And you've been here for hours but have yet to even say anything."

"Then how do you know what type of person I am?" Stefan tested.

Hayley smiled at his challenge and stole a sip of her coffee. She took in a deep breath before locking eyes with him. "You're very kind. I can tell by your eyes. And you're selfless." She smiled kindly at him. "But, most of all, you have a kind heart."

Stefan shook his head, even though everything she said was true. "There's no way you could believe all of those things. You just met me. How can you be so sure?"

Hayley leaned across the counter, moving closer to Stefan. Her eyes tore into his. "I can tell you have a kind heart from the way you're looking at me...the way you've been looking at me all day. It bothers you, seeing me this way." She meant seeing how broken she was, but there was no need to clarify.

Stefan shifted in his seat uncomfortably at her accuracy. But he didn't look away from her sad blue-green eyes. "You give me too much credit." He said softly, finally looking down at the counter. Who was this girl? And how could she be a friend to such a monster like Klaus? Stefan wondered.

"No one is perfect." She defended for him. "Are you a recovering alcoholic or smoker or something?" Hayley laughed at her question.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Stefan laughed. This was the first time he didn't feel like a prisoner since he'd been traveling with Klaus. Although he was commanded to be discreet, he felt like he could tell anything to Hayley.

"You tap your fingers a lot or your leg shakes when you sit down." She glanced down to point out that he was doing it as they speak. But Hayley didn't realize she wasn't talking about a recovering alcoholic, she was talking about a recovering ripper. But Klaus was doing anything but helping the cause.

Stefan's entertainment from the conversation disappeared. He shook his head. "So how did you get so good at reading other people?" He wondered.

"I'm not. I just don't ignore things that make other people uncomfortable to see or think about." Hayley said easily as she shrugged her shoulders.

"How exactly did you and Nick become friends?" Stefan asked only when he heard Klaus talking on the phone, which assured him he couldn't hear them.

Hayley propped her face in her hand, causing her to tilt her head at Stefan. "We just ran into each other a few times. And eventually we realized how similar we are. We kind of found each other when we both needed a friend." Stefan was in awe of how honestly she believed what she said. There was no compulsion. She really cared for Klaus. Hayley seemed to see Stefan's amazement. "Whatever he's made you believe about himself… it's probably not true. He seems cold and heartless on the outside, but that's only because he doesn't know how to trust people."

"Time to go, Stefan." Klaus suddenly said. He was glaring dangerously at him, even though it was Hayley who was exposing his secrets. She had jumped at his voice, not hearing him come back inside or seeing him at the edge of the kitchen.

"You're going already?" Hayley asked sadly.

Klaus' expression softened when he moved his eyes from Stefan to her. "Wait for me in the car." He commanded the younger vampire. Stefan knew he shouldn't have been caught talking so intimately with Hayley. But it just sort of happened. He did what he was told and started toward the front door. Once Klaus' back was to him, he turned around and found Hayley already looking at him. Stefan gave her a sad smile before waving goodbye and going outside. For some reason, talking to her made him miss Elena even more.

"What did you do to that poor guy?" She asked Klaus once she heard the front door shut closed.

"Nothing." He replied. "At least, not yet."

"Where are you off to now?" Hayley said, not hiding her annoyance or anger.

"I'm not quite sure yet." Klaus said with a smirk as his forearm leaned on the granite counter. Then her appearance caught him off guard again. The thought of undaggering Elijah flashed across his mind. But he quickly ignored it before he could linger on the idea a second longer. "I'm not abandoning you, Hayley."

"I know." She sighed. Then her eyes drifted out of the present and she was remembering the past. Then she flickered back to reality. "Be careful, okay?"

"There's no need to worry, sweetheart." He smiled.

"You're going to have to worry if you call me 'sweetheart' or 'love' one more fucking time." Hayley hissed.

"Language!" Klaus called out jokingly.

"Oh, spare me." Hayley laughed as she stood up and gave him a hug. Her smile and laughter slowly faded as she held on tightly to him.

Klaus broke away before he completely changed his mind about leaving his one and only true friend again. "Goodbye, Hayley." He whispered before quickly leaving the house.

Klaus was a few steps away from his car, which Stefan was leaning against, when he stopped walking. "I know you're here. Come out, come out wherever you are." He said darkly. Luke carefully walked from the shadows of the side of the house. His arms were crossed as he glared at the hybrid. He may be compelled by him, but that didn't stop his hatred for the original.

Klaus rushed over at vampire speed and tackled him against the wall. Stefan was at the hybrids side, but had no intention of stopping him. "You were supposed to watch over her." Klaus growled as his grip tightened around his throat.

"I did!" Luke gasped, losing oxygen every second.

"Then why did I find her in such a condition? Did you not notice how bad she got?" Klaus finally let him go. Luke took in gulps of hair as his face slowly regained its normal color. Stefan looked anxious at the scene in front of him.

"She was going to leave town." Luke coughed. His comment caught Klaus' attention. "When I came back, I found her packing the car. She was going to leave town without saying a word to anyone. I stopped her." Luke glared at the hybrid. "I just thought I'd point out that I'm not completely useless." He muttered to Klaus with an attitude.

Klaus slowly took a few steps closer. "And did she say why?" He whispered frighteningly to the werewolf.

"You think she actually told me? All she said was that she was done with this town and that there was nothing left for her here." Luke explained.

Klaus thought about it for a moment, his eyes glancing toward the house as if he could see Hayley through the walls. Then he bit into his wrist and shoved his dripping blood forcibly into Luke's mouth a moment before snapping his neck.

Stefan uncrossed his arms, looking slightly alarmed. "Klaus, we already know that it won't work."

"I'm not an imbecile, Stefan. I'd rather watch the bloody mutt die from a failed transition than from me ripping out his heart. Put him in the car before anyone sees." Klaus growled.

* * *

**-Okay so someone said they pictured Hayley as Daphne from Switched at Birth. NO. No, no no-no-no. LOL. Just no.**

**-What were your thoughts on the Hayley/Stefan interaction**

**-I would LOVEEEEEE to hit 100 reviews. It would mean so much :)**


	10. Part X

**You guys are the best. Yes. You are. Thank you, thank you, thank you!**

* * *

"So are you going to tell me anything about that?" Stefan asked Klaus as they drove through the dark streets back to the city.

"What's there to tell Stefan?" He challenged as his foot slammed further down onto the accelerator.

"You forced me on this mission of yours. Everywhere we go, every person we talk to has to do with making hybrids. Hayley doesn't know you're a vampire-werewolf hybrid. She doesn't even know your real name. Why did you see her?"

Klaus smirked at how interested Stefan was with her. "Why is it so strange to you that I would go and see a friend, Stefan?"

"It's not strange that you would see a friend. It's strange that you have a friend? Especially one like her." Stefan clarified.

Klaus' smirk faltered a little. "Careful, Stefan. You're nearing dangerous ground." It would be his one and only warning. "Especially since you used to be one of my friends." He pointed out, completely switching moods again. Stefan refused to reply. Instead, he looked out the window.

* * *

**ONE MONTH LATER**

Hayley was actually asleep for once. Her windows were open, letting in the cold air. The colder it was in her bedroom, the more likely she would sleep. But with such temperatures also came nightmares. Her window shades slammed against the window frames every time a gust of wind flew in. Hayley tossed in turned, tangling her legs within the bed covers.

_She was walking through a forest barefoot. All the trees were black and seemed to be dead. They threatened and frightened her as she walked faster and faster, trying to get out of the web. The forest got thicker and thicker the more she tried to escape it. Then, suddenly, she was out in the open. Hayley turned around in a circle to see that she was in an empty field. The stars shined overhead and the moon was perfectly full, giving her light to see. Then she was confused to find a tree so tall that she had to arch her neck to see all the way to the top of it. Yet, it sat a few yards away from where she stood. It was so white that it almost seemed to be glowing silver. It hypnotized her as she slowly walked toward it, one step at a time._

_When she was only a few feet away, she heard murmuring echoing all around her. Hayley stopped walking, frightened at the sound. It was hard to even understand, or even believe it was words. But then it slowed and separated. **'Stay away, Hayley. Run. You have to run.'** Hayley gasped when she recognized the voice. "Elijah?" She whispered. Then the sound repeated, saying the same exact thing._

_Her eyes fell on the tree that was so close. She started back away without taking her eyes off of it. But before she could truly escape, the giant tree broke into flames as if by magic. Hayley swore she could feel the warmth. The murmuring started again. But this time, Elijah's voice changed. **'RUN, HAYLEY, RUN!'**He his voice yelled at her. She turned away from the blazing tree and started into a sprint._

Hayley shot up in bed trying to catch her breathe as if she really had been running. Even though she was sweating, shivers broken across her skin. It took her a few moments to realize she hadn't woken up on her own. Someone was knocking loudly at her front door. She squinted at her clock as her fingers stressfully combed through her long hair. It was 1 o'clock in the morning. Who could possibly be knocking on her door? Then she immediately thought of Luke or Nick. They were the only ones that showed up at her house, unannounced. There was someone else too, but she wouldn't let herself even think of his name. Hayley jumped out of bed, without even thinking about putting pants over her boy-shorts or a robe over her off the shoulder crew-cut sweater.

Hayley sprinted down the stairs to the front door; now convincing herself that one of her friends was in trouble. She whipped open the door to find a stranger observing her. He was old enough to be her father. He had blonde hair, and piercing blue eyes. He had a thin beard and mustache that made him look gloomier.

For some reason, Hayley immediately thought of Nick when she looked at him. "Can I help you?" She asked, regretting opening the door while in such attire.

"I'm Detective Michaels. Do you mind if I come in for a few minutes?" He asked her emotionlessly.

"Actually, I do." Hayley surprised herself by saying it rudely. "Whatever it is you need to talk to be about, we can do it here."

The detective's eyes seemed to narrow in amusement from her attitude. She couldn't tell if it was admiration or hidden rage. "We have quite a few things we need to discuss. It's quite cold out here. And seeing as you're not wearing much clothing, it would probably be best if we spoke inside."

Hayley glared at his passive-aggressive comment. Then for some reason, a chill ran down her body just like it had when she'd woken up from her nightmare. She got a weird feeling, the ones that she only got around Elijah. But this one felt different. It wasn't calming; it was a warning. "May I see your badge?" She said low and evenly. Her grip on the door handle tightened as she waited.

Hayley was surprised when Detective Michaels started laughing darkly. "Clever girl. Not naïve like I was expecting." Suddenly, his voice had a British accent. He took a step closer, almost a centimeter away from the door that he could not enter. "Okay, then. Let us not play this game, Hayley. Take a step outside." He ordered as he locked eyes with her. He watched as her eyes dilated under his compulsion.

Hayley's breathing shook as the realization flew against her. He was a vampire. Was this the Niklaus that Elijah had failed to kill? But the compulsion pushed the thought out of her mind. Hayley tried to fight against it, but it was useless. Slowly, she stepped outside and was now a mere inch away from his face.

"What do you want?" Hayley whispered. Her voice was even and front. She knew there was no way of escaping. But she wasn't scared. There was nothing left to lose.

Mikael smirked at her bravery. "Go to sleep." He commanded with his compulsion. Hayley's eyelids slammed shut and her body went limp.

* * *

Hours later, Hayley slowly regained consciousness. She shot upright when she remembered the last thing that happened before she passed out. She was in the backseat of an SUV. But it was parked in what seemed almost like the middle of a forest. Hayley glanced out the windows to see that she was completely abandoned. She tried to move about but felt strangely restricted. She felt that her hands were bound. She glanced down to see that she was wearing handcuffs. Out of panic, Hayley started trying to break free of them or even slide her hands out. But it was useless and she soon stopped out of hopeless frustration.

Hayley looked at the ignition to see that the keys hadn't been left and then looked for any cracks in the windows or any openings at all. But there were none. She grabbed at the door handle, but it was locked and refused to respond when she pressed the button. Clearly the car had been tampered with to make sure she couldn't escape.

Hayley let out a sigh and slammed her head back against the headrest. What did he want with her? He had to be Klaus. She was sure of it. But what advantage would Klaus have from kidnapping her if Elijah was dead? Then Hayley's heavy breathing held as a thought came to her. What if Elijah wasn't truly dead? _No. _She told herself. _Stop being so pathetically hopeful. He's dead. He's dead and he's never coming back for you. _

Then Hayley wondered if this was her own end. She never really believed in the afterlife or anything spiritual. But the thought of meeting Elijah there made her relax and not fear the unknown future soon to come. But just as she was becoming comfortable with the idea of being killed, Hayley stilled herself. _Stop it. _Her heart told her. _You are _not _giving up. That's not you._

Hayley looked around the car, urging herself to think harder. She turned around and looked in the trunk of the car. Her heart sped when her eyes landed on a breaker bar. She quickly grabbed it and stared at it for a moment. A wave of hope fell over her. Maybe she did have a chance.

Gripping the bar tightly in both of her cuffed hands, Hayley slammed it against the passenger window closest to her. Only a web of cracks appeared on the glass. But now, her adrenaline was rushing. Putting all of her force into it, she smashed the bar into the window again. This time, the glass shattered and fell on the window. Hayley almost let out a cry of relief, but tried to make as little noise as possible even though the breaking window would have already alerted anyone nearby. She scraped the remaining shards from the frame so she wouldn't injure herself while climbing out.

After Hayley was sure she wouldn't rip her hands apart, she flung her legs out and gracefully landed outside the car despite her cuffed hands. She was barefoot and thankfully the ground below her was soft grass and didn't meet any lose pieces of glass. She didn't even acknowledge that she was still in just a light crew sweatshirt and her boy-short underwear. She was too busy trying to stay alive.

Hayley looked in the grass to see the breaker bar she'd thrown out the window once she'd smashed the glass. She grabbed it, seeing it as the closest thing to a weapon that she'd get. But just as she grabbed it, a feeling washed over her. Her head snapped up to see someone standing a few yards away in the field.

It was a girl, somewhat her age. She had dark brown hair that was perfectly curled. Her eyes were also a deep brown. There was nothing about her that made it obvious she was a vampire, but Hayley could sense it. She didn't move or breathe as she stared at the stranger.

"You're quite the little survivor. I'll admit I wasn't expecting that." The vampire cooed. She took a step closer. And her eyebrows rose when she didn't hear a jump in her heartbeat. "I'm Katherine by the way."

Hayley narrowed her eyes, as her grip on the bar tightened even more. "Little?" Hayley scuffed, already able to tell that she would tower over the vampire if she were to stand next to her. "Katherine…That wouldn't be some sort of nickname for Katarina, would it?" She said with a smirk.

Katherine's step faltered just the slightest bit at such a guess. But it was enough for Hayley to notice. "I see Elijah told you more than we expected."

"Apparently I've just been underestimated in general." Hayley countered. Just because these vampires had heard about her didn't mean they actually knew her.

That was when Katherine eyed the bar in her hands. "Oh, honey. There's so much you don't know."

Hayley sighed and shook her head. "What do you want? What are you, one of Klaus' slaves or something? If you're going to kill me, just do it already." Hayley knew she could try and run or she could try and fight. But what good did it ever do? The odds were never in her favor when she was against the supernatural.

Katherine closed the space between them at vampire speed. Even then, she didn't catch Hayley off guard. Their difference in height was even more apparent now. Just as Katherine leaned forward, Hayley thought fast as she extended her hands to harm the vampire in some way with the bar. But just as it swung down, Katherine caught it effortlessly in her hand. She ripped it from Hayley's grasp. The attempted attack caused a surge of rage in Katherine. Who did this foolish human think she was? Katherine raised her own arm to hit her.

"Katarina!" A voice yelled out of nowhere. It was filled with warning and indignation. Hayley was surprised to see fear suddenly spread across Katherine's face. They both looked over to see the detective that had kidnapped Hayley in the first place. She looked back and forth between the vampires. Clearly he was in charge. After all, he was the infamous Klaus.

Katherine dropped the bar instantly to the ground. It was like watching a kid realize they'd been caught doing something bad. "I wasn't going to do anything." She immediately defended.

Hayley's jaw clenched in defiance as Mikael stared at her instead of the younger vampire. "Perhaps you shouldn't underestimate the young human, Katarina. It appears she has a higher intelligence than you." He said to her without breaking his stare with Hayley. "If she escapes again, I won't be as merciful." He finally looked over at Katherine to confirm the fear in her eyes. He began walking away, but only got a few steps before stopping. He glanced back at Hayley. "Get her some proper clothing as well."

And then Mikael disappeared. Katherine roughly grabbed Hayley. But she ripped her arm away. "Don't fucking touch me." Hayley hissed at her. But the only reaction she received was getting hit over the head so hard that it rendered her completely unconscious.

* * *

Klaus knew there was something going on. He could feel it. Maybe Mikael was dead. But there was another reason the occupants of Mystic Falls brought him back to their pathetic town. He moved about the party until he happened to fall upon Elena.

"Where's your date?" He asked her mockingly.

"Getting me a drink." Elena replied tightly.

Klaus smirked and offered her his own but she ignored the gesture. He shrugged, already expecting her response.

"Seems I have you to thank for Mikael's demise."

"He came at me." Elena barely explained. "I didn't have a choice."

Klaus' eyes narrowed. "Still, I'm impressed. It's not easy for a human to dagger an original."

"It wasn't the first time." She retorted.

Klaus nodded his head with a smile. "Right…Elijah." Then he looked back at Elena to see she was acting strange. "You seem nervous." He pointed out.

"I'm not nervous. I just don't like you." She almost jeered at him.

"Well, I'll get straight to the point then. Shall I, love?" He stepped closer. "People have been after me for a thousand years. And I am always one step ahead. So whatever it is you're thinking of trying. Go for it! Give it your best shot. You won't succeed."

But just as Klaus hissed the last of his threat, a strange sensation eroded over him. He looked around the party. It was as if someone had called his name, but he knew no on actually had. Then he remembered that Elena was standing right next to him, watching him. He shook his head and walked away from her.

Klaus quickly walked to the trees lining the Lockwood's estate. No one would be able to hear him from where he was standing. He grabbed his cell phone from his pocket and before he knew what he was doing, Hayley's number was already dialed. But after countless rings, it went right to her voicemail. Klaus didn't know what he expected. But a part of him was regretting leaving her alone without that mutt he'd killed. At least then he knew she wasn't completely alone.

"Kelsey." He said loud enough so she would hear. The hybrid was at his side in a second, waiting for instruction. "I want you to go to this address. There is someone important who needs safe keeping." She nodded her head and started walking away but Klaus roughly grabbed her arm. "Tell no one where you are going. And do not intervene with the girl's life or even let her know she's being watched. Do you understand?" Klaus instructed darkly. Kelsey looked confused but still nodded her head.

Once Klaus was alone again, his hand rubbed through his hair. This was nothing he was used to. Why had he got such a strange feeling? And why was his immediate thought to check up on Hayley? Klaus pushed it to the back of his head and focused on the party. He needed to be on his toes if he truly suspected the Salvatores were planning something against him.

Klaus was an expert at appearing calm and collected. No one knew that he was worried. Not about a possible plan to kill him, but his feeling about Hayley. He was trying to act carefree by playing beer pong when a hybrid walked over to his side.

"You have a visitor." She informed him darkly.

"Well, tell my visitor I'm on the brink of victory here." He said casually with a smirk. Everyone here was technically a visitor. They could wait.

"He said his name was Mikael."

Klaus' composure was instantly lost. His jaw jutted and his entire posture tightened at simply hearing the name. He chucked the ball perfectly into the cup before turning to his hybrid. "Then we mustn't keep him waiting. Move everyone out back." He instructed. "I'm going to have a little chat with my dad."

Klaus took a drink before slowly leaving the room. No one could see his fear. No one could see that he was about the face the one person he truly feared. To think, Klaus used to be willing to do anything to receive his love.

Everyone was leaving the mansion to move to the backyard when Klaus was at the front door. Mikael stared back at him, unable to take even the slightest step closer.

"Hello, Niklaus." Mikael said darkly.

"Hello, Mikael." He replied, refusing to call him his father to his face. "Won't you come in? Oh that's right. I forgot. You can't." He sneered.

"Or you could come outside, if you want." Mikael offered, completely unfazed.

"Or I could watch my hybrids tear you limb by limb." Klaus countered. As soon as the words were said, hybrids flocked from nowhere and stood a few yards away on the front yard. Mikael didn't have to turn to sense them.

"Oh they can't kill me." Mikael stated calmly.

"True. But it will make one hell of a party game." Klaus raised his hand. "All I have to do…is raise these two fingers together and they'll pounce."

Mikael wasn't scared. In fact, he seemed disturbingly entertained by his proxy son. His face had a permanent smirk on from Niklaus' empty threats.

"The big, bad wolf. You haven't changed…still hiding behind your playthings, like a coward. Don't you forget: they may be sired, but they're still part vampire. And they can be compelled by me." Mikael got a sick joy out of seeing the realization in Klaus' eyes. Then one of his hybrids handed Elena over to Mikael. He grabbed her while Klaus could only stand in the safety of the mansion.

"Come out and face me, Niklaus… Or she dies." Mikael threatened as she gestured toward Elena."

"Go ahead. Kill her." Klaus said, surprising everyone.

Elena started to panic. "No, Klaus, he'll do it."

"If she dies, this lot will be the last of your abominations." Mikael informed him.

At that moment, Hayley popped into Klaus' mind. "I don't need them. I just need to be rid of you."

"To what ends, Niklaus? So you can live forever with no one at your side? Nobody cares about you anymore, boy! Who do you have other than those whose loyalty you forced?" Then Mikael glanced down at Elena. Either Klaus thought Mikael wouldn't do it or he truly didn't care.

Mikael started laughing sinisterly. He shoved Elena away from him, causing the hybrid to grab her quickly. He then snapped his fingers. It was just like he was mocking Klaus' earlier threat. A male hybrid this time came to Mikael's side. But instead of having Elena in his grasp, Niklaus was now staring at a semi-awake Hayley.

But she wasn't even conscious enough to recognize him as her friend. There was a cut right over her eyebrow, causing blood to have run down the side of her face. The hybrid had to hold up her body. Yet she seemed to still be trying to fight him off.

Klaus' mouth opened slightly at the sight of her. He'd been right to worry about her all along. He took a step forward and then cursed himself for making it so obvious that he was concerned with her appearance.

"Come out and face me, you little coward!" Mikael spat as he ripped Hayley from the grip of the hybrid. "And I won't have to kill your one and only friend." Then he glanced down at Hayley who's eyes were clenched close in pain. She had a head injury that made it impossible for her to even know where she was or with whom.

"Nothing to say?" Mikael asked. Then he laughed. "Ah, your impulse, Niklaus. It has and forever will be the one thing that keeps you from truly being great." And before he even gave Klaus time to respond, he stabbed the knife into Hayley's back. Hayley, so weak, only gave out a gasp of pain and plummeted to the hard floor.

"NO!" Tears were streaming down Klaus' face as he screamed. He took a step toward her, not even caring about Mikael anymore. But Damon came out of nowhere, tackling him to the ground, and stabbing him with the one weapon that could truly kill him. Klaus let out a yell in agony. But the young vampire had missed his heart, plunging the stake into his stomach instead. Damon tried to rip it out but Klaus was stronger than him even while he was injured.

Elena ripped her body from the hybrid's grip. Her escape caught Mikael's attention. She smirked at him with two grenades in her hand.

"Katherine." Mikael growled.

"Ba-boom." And grenades were set off on all the hybrids.

Just as Damon managed to rip out the stake and extend his arm to drive it into Klaus' heart, Stefan ripped him away. Klaus took his chance immediately, grabbing the stake and tackling Mikael to the ground. It landed right into the original's heart. His body instantly lit on fire as he screamed to his death.

Klaus didn't even watch his ancient nemesis burn in flames of demise. Instead, he rushed to Hayley's body. She was still alive. Her heartbeat was dying, but at least she still had one. Ignoring the Salvatores, Katherine, and the suffering hybrids, Klaus tore into his wrist and shoved the warm blood down Hayley's throat.

"Come on, sweetheart." He whispered, hoping Hayley would wake up and yell at him for using such nicknames like she always did. But there was nothing. She was unconscious. It disturbed Klaus how peaceful she appeared. Klaus glanced up at his hybrids that all watched him now. He could see that their compulsion was gone now that Mikael was dead.

"Watch her." He snapped at all of them. Hayley would live, but just barely. Klaus didn't care how close she'd come to dying, as long as she was alive.

He went back into the house to see where Damon was. He was going to kill the Salvatore just for attempting to kill him again. But he would torture him for involving Hayley in his plans. Katherine was already gone. Not surprising since she was always the one best at running. But Damon was gone also. He'd deal with him later.

Klaus slowly walked back outside to the front porch. One of his hybrids was knelt down at Hayley's side, observing her mending body. His eyes snapped up when he saw that Klaus was there.

"Who is she?" The hybrid asked.

"My friend." Klaus said while looking at her instead. Then he looked at her condition. The cut on her eyebrow had healed. But the blood still remained, proving that it had been there in the first place. The shadows under her eyes were even darker than when he'd last saw her. He should have never killed the boy that had been protecting her. This could have all been prevented.

Klaus glanced at the ashes of Mikael's body and then back at Hayley. She deserved so much more than this. Her life was forever cursed from such associations with his family. That was when Klaus knew…He knew it was time to awake his family. Hayley needed Elijah.

"Take her somewhere safe. I'm leaving town and will be back by tomorrow night." Klaus informed his hybrids. He was going back to Chicago to retrieve his other siblings. If he were lucky, Elijah would be back before Hayley even awoke.

* * *

Klaus was walking toward the storage unit that held his family when he received a phone call and instantly read Stefan's name on the screen.

"Stefan! Miss me already?" Klaus asked with a smirk.

"I'm just calling to thank you for my freedom." Stefan said ominously.

"Well, I like to believe I'm a man of my word…more or less." Klaus continued casually.

"The thing is…it came at too high of a price. You took everything from me, Klaus." Stefan pointed out.

Klaus was unbothered by his attitude. "Let bygones be bygones. Trust me, resentment gets old." He told the young vampire as he fiddled with the lock of the compartment.

Stefan nodded his head. "You know what never gets old?" Just then, Klaus opened the storage unit to find it completely empty. "REVENGE." Stefan stated.

Before Klaus could threaten the Salvatore, he heard his phone beep with another call. He ignored it. "What are you doing, Stefan?" He growled.

"Just enjoying my freedom." Stefan said happily.

"I will kill you and everyone you've ever met." Klaus growled. It was all he could think of saying through all of his rage. Then his phone beeped again with the call.

"Do that and you'll never see your family again. Oh, and you might want to get that other line." Stefan said through a smirk before hanging up the phone.

Klaus hissed as he pressed the button to switch over to the waiting call. "WHAT?" He almost screamed.

It was one of his hybrids. They were breathing heavily and Klaus could almost hear the wheezing of some sort of pain. "He took her." The hybrid panted.

"What are you talking about?" Klaus barked.

"We were taking her back to Chicago…He came out of nowhere and flipped the car." He gasped. "He killed three hybrids…Stefan…Stefan took Hayley."

* * *

**So I worked uber hard on this chapter and I got it out pretty fast. (Well, faster than usual). So review and tell me what you thought!**


	11. Part XI

**THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS!**

* * *

Klaus refused to let his anger and fear be seen again. Stefan clearly understood the effect his actions had on the hybrid. And that would never be caught by anyone else.

Klaus remained calm and collected as he walked into the grill and immediately spotted Damon and Elena. "Don't mind me." He interrupted what seemed to be flirting.

They both turned around quickly. "Klaus." Elena gasped. She said it with such fear. It caused the original hybrid's smirk to broaden even more.

Damon took a step closer and looked around. "You're gonna do this in the grill? In front of everyone?" He asked condescendingly.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I just came down to my local pub to grab a drink with a mate." He turned to his hybrid. "Get a round then, would you Tony?"

Damon narrowed his eyes. "I'm surprised you stuck around long enough for happy hour."

Klaus' amusement now vanished. His jaw jutted and he looked at both of them accusingly. "My sister seems to be missing…need to sort that out."

"Cute, blond, bombshell, psycho? Shouldn't be too hard to find." Damon said innocently.

Klaus took a step closer. "Truth is, I've grown to rather like your little town. Think I might fancy a home here." He took the dart out of Damon's grasp. "Now, I imagine you're wondering how does this effect you. And the answer is not in the slightest. As long as I get what I want and everyone behaves themselves you can go on living your little lives however you choose. You have my word."

Elena's face was horrified at the idea of Klaus permanently living in Mystic Falls. "What more could you possibly want?" She asked in all honesty.

"Well, for starters, you can tell me where I might find Stefan." Klaus was right in Elena's face, hoping he would scare the answer out of her. She was always weak. He didn't understand what every boy in this pathetic town saw in the doppelgänger.

Damon saw his cue to intervene and stepped between the two of them. "Stefan skipped town the moment after he saved your ass." He informed him.

Klaus turned to the board. "Well you see, that is a shame." He flung the dart and it landed right in the middle of the board, perfectly hitting the bull's-eye. "Your brother stole from me." Klaus snapped. "I need him found so I can take back what's mine."

Elena inhaled deeply. "That sounds like a Klaus and Stefan problem." She felt so brave saying it to him. Klaus got close to her, about to threaten her. But Damon came out of nowhere, standing protectively in front of her.

The gesture caused Klaus to laugh darkly. "Well, this is me broadening the scopes sweetheart." Then he took a step back and looked back and forth between the two of them. "All of you think you're so much better than me, playing by the rules and not lowering yourselves to what you believe as my dishonorable methods." Then Klaus locked eyes with Damon. "But you harmed an innocent just as I have. So really, how much better are you?"

Damon became confused at what Klaus spoke of. Then he somewhat remembered hearing something at the front of the house as he waited for his cue to attack. There had been someone else besides Katherine at Mikael's hands.

"That broad…whoever…was never part of our plan. Mikael never told us what he was going to do. So whatever it is Stefan took from you, we don't have a part in it." Damon informed him.

Klaus' jaw flexed at him calling Hayley a broad. Before they knew it, Klaus had grabbed Elena and a knife from a nearby table. He held her small body against his chest and he wavered the weapon over her throat. Damon took a step forward but Klaus shook his head threateningly.

Klaus saw Damon looking around to see a reaction from the general public. "Oh, don't worry. This entire place has been compelled to ignore any and all of my actions." Klaus informed him. Then his face darkened. "I want you to find your fool of a brother and give him a message. Either he returns what belongs to me, or I'll start killing people in this town, one by one." He then shoved Elena into Damon's arms. "Test my threat and I promise, you'll regret it."

* * *

Hayley's head rose from resting unconsciously on her knees. Everything came rushing back to her all at once. She'd been in a car with people she didn't know. But they had all assured her she wouldn't be harmed. They were driving her back home. And for some reason, she believed them. But her trust didn't matter, because it was only a few minutes later that her car crashed off the road. It spun and fishtailed until it completely rolled down the street. Luckily she had her seatbelt out. But the people in the car weren't as fortunate as her.

They all were alive and survived the crash. But before they could break their way out of the demolished car, they were being ripped from it against their will. Hayley watched one person's heart get ripped from their chest. Panic surged through her at the sight and she frantically tried to undo her seatbelt and make her way out of the car before they could get to her. It wasn't until she had to use all of her strength that she noticed how much pain her body was in. Apparently, car crashes caused quite a few injuries on the human body.

But that was the last thing she remembered. She didn't recall being taken or even seeing who had caused her journey home to be stopped.

Now, Hayley looked around her surroundings to see that she appeared to be in some sort of shed. It was old, dusty, and she was sitting on top of a layer of dirt. Once again, she was locked in place. But this time, only one of her hands was cuffed.

"Where is everyone getting all of these fucking handcuffs?" Hayley hissed to herself. She yanked her hand, but the other cuff was locked on a metal bar built into the shed. She continued to bang and pull. Even though she knew it was useless, she was letting out her frustration. But the wasted effort also reminded her how many injuries her body sustained. There was no reflection for her to see the black bruise that covered half her face. But she could feel a cracked ribs, the broken wrist of her un-cuffed hand, and various cuts across her entire body.

As Hayley breathed heavily, she rested her had back against the uneven wood of the shed. What were all of these people expecting from her? She could barely remember what happened the other night. Katherine had hit her over the head harder than she believed, making it difficult to process anything that was going on around her. All Hayley could remember was the pain as the knife was stabbed into her back and the sound as her body hit the ground hard. If Mikael wasn't the one who she believed was Klaus, then she had yet to see the original that killed Elijah.

At that moment, Hayley made a vow that she would find Klaus. They say he's indestructible, that he is forever immortal. But she would find a way. She would let revenge control her life just like Elijah had.

* * *

Damon had tackled Stefan out of the witch house and repeatedly stabbed a thick branch into his stomach. He had to put his point across about how angry he was for his little brother ruining the best plan they ever had to destroy the original hybrid.

Damon didn't believe that Stefan did it all to save him. He didn't _want_ to be saved. He didn't _need_ to be saved. After all of this, what did Stefan owe him?

He stood up from the ground as Stefan suffered in pain on the ground. Damon looked down at him, pressing for his brother's attention. "Klaus made it obvious that he believes you took more from him than just his coffins." Damon said slowly to his younger brother.

Stefan's eyes flickered to meet his just a second before he ripped the branch out of him again. "There's nothing else that matter to Klaus besides his family." He lied to him.

"Do you have her?" Damon urged. He sighed when Stefan didn't answer right away. "You know what? I could care less if you have the chick." He tossed his hands up to show how little he cared about the matter at hand. Damon turned to start walking away and then stopped. "I'm not doing it. Everyone thinks I'll be the good guy now that you're trying to be the emotionless ripper. But I'm not doing it." Damon hissed before he walked away.

Stefan just looked at the ground, pretending not to have any reaction to his older brother's words. He went back inside the old house without another look at his disappointed brother.

Damon only got a few yards into the woods when a sound caught his attention. It couldn't be Stefan since it was coming from the opposite direction of the house. His curiosity got the best of him as he started following the noise. A few minutes later, he saw a small shed in the distance. He could hear a heartbeat. Whoever was in there, was clearly a human. Damon glanced around the forest to double check that he was alone. Then he listened for his brother and clarified that since he couldn't hear Stefan, Stefan couldn't hear him.

Damon turned the handle of the door, but it had been locked. He heard the human's heart speed a little at the sound of him trying to enter. Damon lightly shoved his shoulder at the door and the lock easily came undone. Clearly the precaution had been made to stop a human, not a vampire. Damon was hardly surprised when he saw a girl sitting on the other side of the shed, hunched into a corner. She didn't appear scared at his appearance. Actually, she just seemed to be completely numb. Damon noticed how young she looked, maybe even the same age as Elena. Then he noticed what horrible condition she was in.

"Let me guess, another vampire?" Hayley said sarcastically as she didn't even look up at him.

"What gave me away?" Damon asked in amusement.

Hayley sighed. "Maybe it's the leather jacket, the all black ensemble, or perhaps the combat boots." Then her eyes flickered up at him and Damon was caught off guard by how much loathing he could read in them. Then he noticed the handcuffs that locked her one wrist to the shed. Her skin was burned, bruised, and cut from the restriction. As of right now, he didn't care about the abuse on this innocent human. But for some reason, he thought how he would feel if he saw Elena in such condition.

"What's your name?" She asked curiously. The question brought him out of his thoughts.

He cleared his throat. "Damon…Damon Salvatore." His eyes twisted with his usual charm, as he acted unfazed by the sight of her.

Hayley's breathing stopped as she recognized his last name. "Stefan's brother?" She whispered. She was still unaware that the younger Salvatore was the one who kidnapped her from the car.

Damon narrowed his eyes at the question. He could tell that she didn't know he was the one keeping her hostage. "Older brother." He corrected with a smirk.

Hayley then tried to pretend that it wasn't shocking to realize he must be a vampire too. "I met your brother not too long ago. He doesn't look anything like you." She pointed out to him.

"It's unfortunate for him." Damon said with a sneer. Then it disappeared and the shed filled with silence. "When did you meet my brother?" He asked her, trying to hide all of his interest.

Hayley leaned her head back against the wall as she looked up at the roof. "He's the one that's keeping me here, isn't he?" She asked, completely ignoring his question. Damon winced at the exhaustion and pain in her voice. It hurt her just to take in deep breaths. Damon just shifted at the question, refusing to answer.

"Does the name Elena mean anything to you?" Hayley looked at him just in time to see him react. Actually, it was the effort not to react that she caught. She was fully capable of outsmarting this vampire. What she lacked in strength, she made up with her wit. All of this was making more sense, but there were still giant missing pieces.

"So you're the brothers who did everything to save the sacred doppelgänger from the hybrid sacrifice?" She paused for a moment. "I'm guessing you failed." She whispered.

Damon was lost and confused at how she could know so much about them. "Now what makes you think that?" He said with a smirk, refusing to act taken aback by her knowledge.

Then he was surprised to see her eyes shining in the sunlight from tears that didn't fall. "Because if you stopped it, he would've come back to me." She murmured.

Damon slowly walked forward and didn't stop until he was looking directly down at Hayley. He kneeled down so they were eye to eye. "Who are you?" He asked.

"Why don't you let me out of these cuffs and then I'll tell you." Hayley instantly replied as she raised an eyebrow at Damon. He smirked at her boldness. Then Hayley shook her head and matched his smile. "But you're not the hero type, are you Damon Salvatore?" She'd already known that he wouldn't free her from this place.

Damon's smirk momentarily vanished as he glared at her. It was like she'd just heard his and Stefan's conversation a few minutes ago. He wasn't a hero and he didn't want to be. But could he really just leave this girl alone, unknowing of what Stefan might do to her?

"Nope. No hero here." Damon stated.

There was so much more going on than she had originally thought. Why was Stefan friend's with Nick? What part did Nick play in all of this? Was he a vampire too? Hayley didn't know what to think. Katherine was right: there was so much more.

* * *

Elena opened the door of the Salvatore boarding house. Her eyes landed on the original hybrid. No matter how hard she tried, her heart always jumped at the mere sight of him. "Thank you for coming." She greeted him.

Klaus shoved past her, not waiting for her to welcome him inside. "I trust you have news of Stefan."

"I couldn't find him. But I have something else." Her voice shook as she explained to him. Without saying any more, she led him to the basement of the house and to the cellar that was holding his sister.

Klaus was hoping he would find Hayley inside. But as soon as he followed Elena, he didn't hear her heartbeat and already knew it wouldn't be that easy. His eyes fell on Rebekah, daggered in the back and lying on the floor.

"My poor sister. I can't turn by back on her for a moment." Klaus said more to himself than Elena.

She gestured to the body. "You have Rebekah. A deal is a deal." Klaus' eyes flickered up to hers.

He walked closer to her. "The life of my sister in exchange for your brother. Yeah, I'd say that's a bargain. Consider him spared."

Elena continued to explain that Rebekah would come after her. Then she confessed that his sister knew what he did to their mother. It was Elena's way of getting back at him for continuing to threaten the people she cared about. But Klaus knew she was still lying about Stefan. He could always tell when people were lying to him.

Klaus looked her up and down, annoyed by how proud of herself she was. Elena believed she was so brave for facing him on her own. But he saw through her act. He closed the distance between them at vampire speed just to hear her heart jump in fear. His eyes darkened to their glowing hybrid form just to add effect.

"Since I know you're lying about Stefan, let me reiterate what I said earlier today. If my belongings are harmed in any way…know that I won't just go after your loved ones. First…I'll make you watch me torture them to death. Then…it will be you." He stated darkly.

Elena tried to breath, but her fear wouldn't allow it. "And if you kill me…how will you make all of your hybrids?" She countered in a gasp.

Klaus smirked at her response. "Oh, I never said I would kill you. Torturing doesn't need to end in death." He glanced down at Rebekah's body. "Give me what I want or everyone you love will be dead before your eyes."

Elena shoved past him and out of the cellar before turning to him. "You can let yourself out."

* * *

It was the middle of the night when Stefan made his way to the shed. He expected to find Hayley asleep when he entered. But she was staring out the window when he walked in and didn't even acknowledge is entrance.

"I was wondering when you'd come and visit." She said quietly, her eyes never leaving the window.

Stefan crossed his arms as he watched her. Her obvious injuries had no affect on him. He hid all surprise from hearing that she suspected him all along. But then he secretly wondered what else she figured out.

"What exactly do you plan on doing with me?" Hayley finally looked at him. But Stefan didn't answer her question as his eyes narrowed.

"Why are you friends with Nick? Did you do it to get me to Klaus?" Hayley continued asking questions.

Stefan smirked at her constant guessing. He tossed an apple at her and she caught it effortlessly with her free hand. "I can't let you starve to death. That would ruin the point of being a hostage."

Hayley stared at the green apple and her grip tightened around it. "Do you know how he died?" She asked in a ghost of a whisper, knowing he'd be able to hear her.

Stefan than narrowed his eyes. "Luke?" He asked casually. He decided to humor her. It just gave him another way to practice completely turning off his humanity.

Hayley's eyes widened at the name. "What happened to Luke?" She almost yelled. When Stefan didn't answer right away, she shot up to stand, ignoring how her body reacted by sending jolts of pain. "What did you do to him?" She hissed and stepped in his direction as far as the handcuffs would allow her.

Stefan was now confused at who she had originally been asking about. "I did nothing. It was Klaus who killed him." Then he stepped towards her so there was hardly any space between them. Hayley was almost the exact same height as him. Her eyes didn't waver as she stared him down. "But that's not who you were asking about?" Stefan said softly.

"Were you there when he killed Elijah too?" She breathed. It was like she was trying to find reasons to hate him with all her being. That would make it easier when she found the chance to kill him too.

Stefan couldn't stop his brow from furrowing. "What do you know about Elijah?" He murmured.

Hayley glanced at the ground and coughed unintentionally. "I know that he's dead." Suddenly, she didn't think it was a good idea to correct any of these people on her relations with the dead original. Clearly they had her here for Klaus, not Elijah.

Stefan let out a dark laugh. "Don't die." He instructed before turning to leave. "Then kidnapping you would have been such a waste of my time." He closed the door behind him. After taking a few steps, he heard the sound of glass shattering. Stefan stopped for a moment, but had no other reaction. He knew she'd thrown the apple he'd given her at one of the windows. And they both knew he would hear it. Stefan smirked at how the childish reaction.

* * *

Hayley held her breath as she listened and watched the glass shatter onto the floor of the shed. If everything went according to plan, he wouldn't think anything of it. She waited, hoping he wouldn't walk back inside. But there was no sound or any other sign that he would come back.

Hayley stood up and observed the pieces of glass that came from the window that was just next to her. There was the perfectly sized piece of glass for what she needed. She grabbed it and turned to the bar that her handcuff was linked to. After Damon left, she'd noticed something about it. There were two nails holding the bar in place on both ends. But the top was loose from the wood wearing beneath it. Hayley thought if she could dig and loosen the wood around the nail even more, she'd be able pull the top half of the bar off the wall and free the handcuff.

She knew the idea would most likely turn out to be a failure. But she refused to give up. Elijah would never want her to overlook her own life. Hayley's heart raced with what little adrenaline she had left as she scraped the wood with the shard of glass. She tried not to get excited as pieces of lumber fell off the wall onto the ground.

Almost a half an hour went by. Her hand was bloody and torn from gripping a piece of glass. But there was a crevice around the loose nail now. She refused to try and pull it before she dug as far as possible. Hayley stared at the bar; taking a moment to make sure she didn't get her hopes up on such an absurd plan. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath as she gripped the metal bar with both hands. Using all the strength she had left, she pulled with all of her might.

Hayley slowly opened her eyes and gasped when she saw that it worked. The top half of the bar was now completely disconnected from the wall. She slid the handcuffs off the bar. Unfortunately, there was no way to get it unlocked off her one hand. But she was free. Careful of her injuries, she stood up off the ground. The empty handcuff now dangled off her wrist. She glanced at the floor to see the bloodied shard of glass she'd used. Without thinking, she placed it into her pocket.

Hayley glanced at the door. She knew Stefan locked it on her. And unlike Damon, she couldn't just throw her body against it. She'd probably dislocate her shoulder along with alerting the entire surrounding forest of her actions. Instead she lifted herself over the frame of the window she'd broken. Bloodstains were left on the rotting wood from her injured hand.

As she landed on the ground, her face winced in pain. Her hand rested just over her ribs as a sting throbbed across them. She held her breath, scared that Stefan could hear that alone. Her feet were without socks or shoes. But it made her walking quiet through the woods. She'd only been walking a few minutes when she spied the house in the distance. There were no lights on inside and everything indicated it was abandoned.

Hayley's natural instincts told her to stay away. _That's probably where Stefan is staying hidden._ She told herself. But just as she looked away from the house, voices urgently whispered in her mind. It was just like her dream that one night just before Elijah's voice was singled out. But his never came. Hayley covered her ears almost in pain, hoping to stop the voices from entering her mind.

She glanced back at the house and they instantly stopped. It was obvious that the voices wished for her to go inside. Hayley looked around with paranoia, believing that Stefan would come out of nowhere at any moment. But she didn't know that once Damon and Stefan had made their little alliance, both had gone back to the boarding house.

Hayley carefully walked through the forest until she got to the opening in front of the witches' house. As soon as her barefoot walked onto the first step of the porch, the whispering voices started again. But this time, they were calmer. She couldn't help but feel as if they were watching over her. It was the complete opposite of how they reacted to the vampires that entered.

Hayley walked inside and looked around. If it weren't for the moonlight shining in through windows, she wouldn't be able to see anything. She jumped when she heard a creaking. Straight ahead, a door had swung open as if by magic. _They're guiding me somewhere._ She thought. What did these ghosts want with her?

Hayley tiptoed down the stairs to the basement. The ghosts guided her to the room where Stefan was keeping the coffins. Her palm pressed against the door and it creaked open. But she became confused when the large room was completely empty. Then the dozens of old candles, which rested around the room, magically became lit. Hayley jumped at the sudden change. She'd looked away from the floor for just a split second. She then gasped when her eyes flickered back and saw the 4 coffins resting right in front of her as if they had been there all along.

The witches sensed the prophecy and meaning that was connected to her. They wanted to help her. They wanted her to find the withered originals. It was all part of the plan to open the last coffin that contained the original witch, _their_ original witch.

Hayley's eyes were fastened to the coffin in the middle. It was as if it called to her. Ever so slowly, she walked forward. She could hear her pulse in her ears and her heart beating against her chest. As she reached the edge of the coffin, she stared down at it. Something urged her to open it. But what did she expect to find? Hayley's hands trembled as they hovered over the wood. Without thinking anymore, she flung open the casket.

Her heart stopped. Her breathing stopped. Time stopped. Elijah. It was Elijah resting inside.

Hayley frantically looked over his body. This wasn't what dead was. There would be nothing left of him if what he told her was true of an original's death. Then her eyes landed on the dagger in his chest. He wasn't dead! He had only been desiccated! Hayley reached for the dagger and ripped it out of his chest. She expected him to jump back to life. But Elijah remained still.

Her shining hope broke a little. Then she went around to the other three, opening to see what she would find. One had long hair and wore clothes from an era Hayley couldn't figure out. The next was a boy, who couldn't be that much older than her. He looked like a younger version of Elijah. That was when it dawned on Hayley that this was the family Elijah believed to have been killed. Klaus had never thrown them at sea. That was why Stefan took her and the coffins. It was to get back at Klaus. But it still didn't make sense. With Elijah desiccated, there would be no need to use her as collateral damage.

Hayley shook her head. Now was not the time or place to try and figure it out. Without thinking twice about it she un-daggered the other two. She would have done the same to the fourth coffin, but it wouldn't open. Maybe they wouldn't wake up at all. But she wouldn't allow herself to think that way.

Now she glanced down at the three daggers in her hand. She had to get rid of them. She had to make sure no one could ever use them again. Before she could think about it longer, the candles were wiped dead. The only evidence that they had ever been lit was the thin lines of smoke lingering in the air. _"He's coming! Leave! Run!"_ The whispering voices yelled to her.

Hayley didn't need to be told twice as she sprinted toward the door. Then she stopped when a different door appeared in the corner of her eye. It was a basement cellar hatch that led directly outside. She changed her mind and decided to use it instead.

As soon as she was outside the house, Hayley flew into a sprint. Her entire body protested. She couldn't even properly breath from the rib injuries. But something was on her side. She sprinted on, not even know where she was going. Then she spotted it.

A large lake was only yards ahead. A new wave of energy surged through Hayley as she sprinted even faster toward the body of water. As soon as her feet found the soft and wet edge of the shore, she stopped running. Water was creeping around her feet as she tried to breath. Every gasp, every breath hurt like a thousand needles were pressing into her lungs and sides.

Without wasting a minute, she chunked each dagger as far as she could into the lake. They were so far into the water that she couldn't see them sink down to the dark depths. No one would be able to find them easily, not even a vampire. Outstretching her arm ripped further injury to her cracked and bruised ribs. The pain was so excruciating that Hayley yelped in pain as she keeled over.

She threw up into the edge of the water. Not only did the pain start it, but also the ending of her adrenaline rush. After a few minutes of her sickness, Hayley finally stood up. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Just as she turned to escape even farther away, she was face to face with Stefan Salvatore.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?" Stefan growled. "WHERE ARE THE DAGGERS?" He yelled in her face. The vampire was so angry that his eyes turned dark red and the veins swarmed underneath. Hayley shook her head, so shocked by his appearance that she couldn't even find the words to lie to him. Then his eyes flickered over her shoulder at the lake behind. It didn't take much for him to put it together.

"He'll find me." Hayley didn't realize she could be talking about either Klaus or Elijah. "And if you kill me, he'll _kill_ you." Her voice scraped from throwing up. But the words she spoke were true and they both knew it.

Stefan let out an irritated noise. The ripper in him begged him to tear out her throat, to feed on her strong blood until there was no more. He tried so hard to ignore the craving. Hayley took his moment of struggling with self-control to reach into her back pocket. She stabbed the knife of glass into his heart. But only a weapon made of wood would kill him. His rage at being attacked mixed with his struggle to control his hunger caused Stefan to shove her harder than he intended. Hayley fell so fast; she couldn't catch herself as her body dashed to the hard and rocky shore.

Her head slammed to the ground harder than any human could fall on their own. Everything went quiet. Everything except a soft ringing as her eyes stared parallel to the ground. She blinked a few times. But just before she completely left, images of Elijah flashed in her mind. It was like his warm, brown eyes were trying to comfort her as she slipped into the hostile and cold darkness.

* * *

**Can we just talk about how I updated in 2 days? 2 DAYS!**

**If that's not enough motivation and inspiration to give me your most heartfelt review, then I don't know what is. **

**Come on lovelies ;)**


	12. Part XII

**HOLY CRAP! I am so lucky to have all of you guys. I was completely overwhelmed by the reception I got for the last chapter. It was compeltely unexpected and made me so happy. So thank you so much guys. **

* * *

Hayley went in and out of consciousness. Her body was so weak and in pain, it was impossible to keep up with anything going on around her. All she could figure out was that she was no longer lying on the shore of the lake. She was moving, in some way. The voices around her were echoing in a way that she was able to identify she was in a hospital. Was it even possible for her to be saved?

There was a female's voice running along side her stretcher. She seemed to be announcing all of her injuries. Hayley wouldn't focus on them. But the list seemed disturbingly extensive and the longer the doctor talked, the less hope was found in her voice.

The only thing Hayley registered was someone's hand suddenly holding onto hers. It was clearly a man's, too strong and rough to be anything else. But Hayley was too frail to try and guess whom it was that stayed at her side.

There was a consistent beeping of the machinery. And then there was a single tone that rang. Voices rushed around her body as they started CPR and frantically tried to resuscitate her. But the only sound left in the room was not her beating heart or a gasp of breath. Instead the ringing of that single note filled the entire room. Half a dozen people were in the room, yet no one said a single word. Not until Meredith Fell stated the time of death. She looked at the vampire standing in the room, but couldn't find what words to say to them.

"I'm sorry." That was all she was able to think of.

* * *

_ "Nope. No hero here." Damon stated. He didn't get up from kneeling at her side and leaving like Hayley had expected him too. Instead, he bit into his wrist and then offered his dripping blood to her. _

_ "What are you doing?" Hayley whispered. It was the first time she sounded nervous during their conversation. _

_ Damon didn't look at her for a moment. Then, slowly, his eyes rose to meet hers. "I'm only capable of doing good when others expect the opposite from me."_

_ Hayley laughed darkly at that. Then she glanced down at the blood sitting on the top of his wrist, begging to be drunk. The last time she had vampire blood was the night Elijah saved her. That was before she really remembered him. It seemed like such a long time ago. _

"_I can't." She finally said quietly. _

_ "If you don't drink, you won't even last a day." Then Damon tilted his head. It wasn't until then that he realized that she wanted to die. There was almost no hope left in her eyes. As he kneeled, he shifted uncomfortably on his toes. "Just a drip." He offered. "It will only keep you alive…it's probably not even enough to cure all of your injuries." He explained casually. _

_ Hayley raised a finger and just barely even touched the blood. She looked Damon in the eye just before she licked it off of her skin. She leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes._

_ Damon took her short blindness to observe her in a way he couldn't when she was watching him. Even in her condition, he could tell that she was exquisitely beautiful. He wondered if she was Klaus' lover. But she didn't seem to even know about him, so the idea seemed off. Then he couldn't help but notice the way she handled the situation she had been thrown into. It was like she had been preparing for this world her whole life._

_ Damon slowly got up from kneeling and now looked down at her. Hayley slowly opened her eyes to observe him. "Leaving so soon?" She asked softly with a smirk. He couldn't help but admire her lack of concern for her own life. He started walking away. "Damon?" Hayley said. He quickly turned to face her and found that she was looking out the window. "I hope you have someone that sees the good in you even when you don't see it yourself."_

_ Damon looked at the ground, letting the words sink in. He didn't have to hide his reaction because she wasn't even looking at him. Without even realizing it, Hayley had described the biggest reason why Damon was so in love with Elena. And just for a moment, he thought about letting Hayley go free… because the thought of her dying suddenly bothered him. She didn't belong in all of this just like Elena never had._

* * *

Hayley's eyes snapped open. She waited to hear the repetitive beeping of machines, smell the overly clean scent of a hospital, or see so much white that is was blinding. But, instead, she was in a bedroom. It was fancy, but something about it made her believe it wasn't a home. Then she looked around more and comprehended she was in a hotel room. Hayley quickly sat up and then remembered all the injuries she had and waited for a wave of pain to hit. But there was none. She removed the covers to looked down at her body to find that all the bruises and burns were gone. Then she twisted her wrist to feel that it no longer was broken or hurt in the slightest bit.

Hayley ran her hands through her hair from her confusion on what was going on. How long had she been unconscious? And who had saved her from Stefan? Then her eyes were drawn by the slit of light coming from in between the closed drapes. The curiosity got the best of her. She slowly got out of the king sized bed. As she walked toward the windows, she looked down to find that she was wearing a grey t-shirt and flannel shorts.

Hayley was stood at the windows now. She slowly reached to push back the drapes, hoping she'd be able to figure out more where she was from looking outside. But as soon as her finger touched the velvet fabric of the drapes, the door flew open. Hayley jumped and whipped around to face them. Her breath caught and her stomach dropped when her blue-green eyes locked with Elijah's.

He stared at her for a few seconds, not believing that she could actually be standing there. As soon as Hayley saw his eyes fill with a layer of tears, she rushed over to him. Elijah did the same and Hayley threw her arms around him. His hands held onto her tightly and grasped her back, needing more proof that she was in his arms.

Then Hayley pulled away and her lips crashed onto his. As soon as the contact was made, the mysterious feeling laved over both of them. They kissed as anyone would after they believed one another to be dead. All the uncertainty and confusion of their relationship from before was completely gone. They knew they loved each other now. And neither of them had to say it to understand.

Elijah finally drew back. He wanted to stare into her eyes, the ones filled with a color that was unmatchable. His eyes flickered up to her blonde-red hair as his finger pulled a strand of it away from her face.

"I thought you were dead." Hayley whispered. Her bottom lip started to tremble at just the memory of the past feeling alone. Elijah didn't respond. He only hugged her to reassure that he would never leave her side again.

"What happened?" Hayley said quickly. Then her eyes darted around the room. "How did I get here?"

And Elijah's happiness finally faltered as he glanced down. He didn't want to tell her, mostly because he didn't want to believe it. Then he softly grabbed both of Hayley's hands and met her waiting gaze.

"I found you at the lake. You weren't conscious enough to even accept my blood. The hospital was the only other choice obtainable. But…" Elijah stopped himself, worried at what her reaction would be. "You didn't make it. There was nothing they could do. I thought you were gone, Hayley."

Slowly, she was starting to piece together what Elijah was scared to tell her. The vampire blood, "Damon." Hayley whispered as her eyes zoned out.

Elijah watched her closely, just waiting for her to fall in a haze of panic. "When word made it to him that you were dead, he went to the hospital to tell Doctor Fell immediately and explained what he had done." He could already tell that she understood why she was still living.

"Elijah…" She started. "I'm a vampire." She murmured. But she was waiting for him to give her some sort of confirmation or correction. But he only spoke to her with his eyes. And as soon as she caught it, Hayley knew that she was right.

"You are in transition." Elijah specified. "You must drink human blood in order to truly become a vampire."

Hayley slowly backed up and then sat on the edge of the bed. Her hands hid her face from him. Elijah had his hands in his pockets and watched her carefully. He wasn't sure if she wanted comfort or space. Then Hayley started breathing heavily as if she was having an anxiety attack.

"What's happening?" She asked him.

In a second he was at her side, holding her body against him. It instantly calmed her. "It's part of the transition. Your emotions are utterly amplified. There is no way for you to control it at a time like this." He reassured her. But he also knew that her inability to cry or express her emotion was the cause for such anxiety.

Hayley sat up straighter and shook her head. Then she stood up from the bed and faced Elijah. Her arms were crossed as she looked at him. "Do you want me to become a vampire?" She asked slowly.

"That's not the question you should-"

"Answer me." She cut him off.

Elijah swallowed and looked at his hands that were properly folded on his lap. He took in a deep breath. "I would rather have you as a vampire than not have you at all." His eyes gazed into hers as he spoke so clearly. Elijah would never allow her to deny the blood. He refused to watch her slowly die in front of him. But he wanted her to believe she had a choice so he could see what she would decide on her own.

Hayley nodded slowly. "There never really was any other ending, was there? Even if things had happened differently, I would have still became a vampire eventually." She didn't wait for Elijah to agree. But he looked at her and knew that she was right. He would never have found the strength to let her have a mundane death. This, their relationship, wasn't something temporary. He wanted to keep her, not just for a while, but forever.

Hayley uncrossed her arms and sighed. "Do I have to drink right from a human?" She asked quietly.

Elijah got up from the bed and stood close to her now. "It is usually easier to keep down. But it is not necessary." He grabbed her hand. "I wish for you to meet them." He changed the subject.

Hayley's eyes narrowed. Who did he want her to meet? Then she remembered the other two she had un-daggered with Elijah. They were his family. Suddenly, she became nervous for meeting a family of original vampires. How would they react to her being with Elijah?

He led her to the door and opened it to show her a family room of the hotel suite. It seemed as if they were in the penthouse, for there were countless doors leading to other rooms.

Then Hayley saw a man standing and looking out the window. His hair was still long, but he had on a new change of clothes that fit modern times. But just his demeanor and the way he stood made it obvious he didn't belong in this era. As they entered, he slowly turned around to face them.

"This is my brother, Finn." Elijah introduced softly. But his brother didn't move away from his spot at the window. He only nodded politely at Hayley, not saying a word. Elijah didn't seem surprised by his reaction though.

Hayley just gave him a small smile, recognizing that he was a quiet and subdued man. She was always good at reading people. Now that she was almost a vampire, it was heightened even more. She was held on tighter to Elijah's hand, who hadn't let go since they walked into the room.

Suddenly, there was a flash of movement and then someone stood directly in front of Hayley. She couldn't help but jump slightly at the quick entrance. But when she looked up, Hayley immediately recognized the other brother. He was the one she had noted as looking rather similar to Elijah. He was grinning mischievously at her now.

"So you're the girl that's stolen my brother's heart." He winked at her. Hayley smiled at his confidence, finding it rather entertaining. Then he slowly grabbed her free hand and raised it to his lips. He didn't break eye contact as his lips gently kissed it.

"Kol." He introduced himself. "Pleasure to meet you." But as soon as he let go of her hand, he made a strange face. Hayley tightened her eyes, wondering if he had felt it too. It was just like when she touched Elijah but the feeling was slightly different. Then she remembered the only other time she'd sensed it was when she first met Nick. Elijah instantly read his little brother's expression, confused on what had happened.

Then Kol shook his head slightly and his grin was back on his lips. "I believe it's you I must thank for freeing us from those dreadful coffins."

Hayley tried to push the strange feeling from making contact with Kol. "How…how did you know it was me?" Now, even Finn's attention was on Hayley too.

Elijah then finally intervened the conversation. "It was the only assumption we found realistic." Then images of Hayley's condition when he found her started finding their way back to his consciousness. He tried to control his rage, remembering how broken she had looked.

"Where are the daggers?" Finn asked her. It was strange hearing his voice for the first time. The sound caused Hayley to quickly look at him.

"I threw them into the lake." She stated. "I didn't want anyone to find them and use them on any of you again."

Kol smirked down at her. "Well, what do we have here? Not only a beauty, but clever too." He said charmingly.

Hayley glared at his observation. She glanced up at Elijah to see that he only appeared slightly annoying with Kol's obvious flirting. Over the years, he'd become almost immune to Kol's infuriating personality.

"You must ignore my younger brother. He's been unexposed to the opposite gender for quite some time. He doesn't know what to make of your presence." Elijah stated to her. Kol then glared at him for his mocking. Even Finn smirked at the obvious insult.

"So are we going on her first hunt or not?" Kol changed the subject as his stare tore into Hayley, even though he was technically talking to Elijah. "I promise it will be much more fun than whatever he had in mind." He added gesturing toward his older brother.

"That will not be necessary, Kol. I already sifted blood bags from the hospital." Elijah stated calmly, but the annoyance was still visible in his voice.

"Well, you'll have to show her how to hunt eventually. I don't understand how you could depend on such a processed form of sustenance." Kol said with disgust. The last time he was alive, that wasn't even an option.

"Maybe he's right." Hayley surprised everyone by saying. "I'd rather have you teach me to control it than have to avoid humans for the rest of my life."

Kol smiled at her giving her opinion so boldly. "Then it's settled. Let's go kill something." He praised.

"She won't be killing anything." Elijah immediately interrupted. Then his expression softened when he looked down at Hayley. "If that's what you want, so be it. But I think it's best if you drink now." Then he glared at Kol. "And if you want to learn self control, it won't be from this one." Elijah added darkly. Then he quickly left the room and went to what seemed to be a kitchen. In a second, he was back with a blood bag.

Hayley slowly took it from his hands. She glanced up to see that all three of them were watching her closely. If they weren't originals and younger vampires, the very sight and smell of it would set them off. But they waited patiently for her to drink it. She brought it to her lips and hesitated just a second before drinking the bags contents. As soon as the first mouthful was swallowed, her eyes turned dark red and the veins underneath swarmed against her skin. She opened her mouth slightly to expose her new bloodstained fangs.

Kol smirked with his signature mischief, satisfied with the sight playing out in front of him. He already knew he would like her. And he would never lower himself to a human. Her turning into a vampire was for the best.

However, Finn looked rather offended. He always hated what he'd become. Unlike his siblings, he didn't relish in his vampirism. But he understood that Elijah had no other choice but to save her this way. Finn hadn't forgotten about the one person he had changed.

Hayley finished the whole bag in seconds. Then she looked around in embarrassment since everyone had been watching her. A thought suddenly occurred to her. "Where's your sister…Rebekah?" She'd remembered every detail of the stories Elijah had told her. He had one sister and her coffin hadn't been in the basement of that house. Unless it was the one she couldn't open.

"Niklaus still has her coffin in his possession." Elijah informed her.

Hayley held her breath. "How do you know?"

"Damon Salvatore informed me at the hospital." He saw the confusion on Hayley's face. "At the time, he was rather confused when he found me at your side." Elijah clarified.

"What else did Damon tell you?" She asked him without looking him in the eye. She wondered if he knew that everything that happened to her was under Stefan's hand. For some reason, she didn't want anything to happen to him. She couldn't get the Stefan she first met out of her head. And somehow she knew that was his true self, not the Stefan that captured and practically tortured her.

Elijah didn't show his suspicion at her question. "That was all." He confirmed.

"All this talk is starting to bore me. Are we going out to eat or what?" Kol interrupted.

Hayley then glanced down at her clothes. She couldn't go out hunting in her pajamas. Elijah seemed to read her mind. "There are clothes for you back in the bedroom." He stated. She smiled a little at how prepared he was.

A few minutes later, Hayley returned the room. Instead of wearing her converse, that miraculously weren't stained with blood, a denim shirt, and black skinny jeans. Elijah was whispering intensely to Finn and Kol. As soon as they heard her enter, he stopped and looked at her. She didn't look suspicious of their conversation, but Elijah was able to see that she caught on quickly.

Kol smiled at her entrance. "Marvelous! Where should we eat first?" He asked as he started walking her.

Hayley knew what he was trying to do. He wanted to see some reaction from her, fear or nervousness, anything that showed he was getting to her. Instead of giving him what he wanted, Hayley narrowed her eyes and remained unfazed.

"You're the one that's been asleep for years. You tell me." Hayley raised an eyebrow at him. Elijah smirked at her response, enjoying how taken aback Kol was with her playing his game just as well as him.

Finn sighed darkly at his younger brother and moved away from the window toward him. "Must you be so insufferable, Kol? Come. I shall watch and make sure you do not give away our concealment." He said, almost bored. Kol smirked and both of them walked out of the hotel room.

As soon as the door closed, Hayley's act vanished and she looked at Elijah who was already watching her closely. "What's going on?" She asked him with concern.

"Nothing of importance." Elijah responded suavely. He expected her suspicion and was prepared for the question.

"Elijah…" Hayley urged quietly. She grabbed his forearm and for once, her eyes were not cold. Instead, they were filled with love as she asked him the question again without say a word.

"Niklaus is still unaware of our awakening." Elijah stated the obvious. But Hayley read everything else in what he said, the words he didn't speak.

"You're going see him." She guessed. Then, out of nowhere, she was filled with rage. "So, what? You can kill him again? Because that worked out so well the first time!" Hayley snapped at him as she stepped away.

Elijah didn't bother trying to hide the hurt from her words. "No. That is no longer necessary. The only motivation to kill him was for the vengeance of my family. Now I have them back, soon Rebekah will be as well." Then he looked up at her. "And I have you." He said it as if it were the most important thing of all.

Then Hayley shook her head as her rage disappeared in a crack. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "I didn't mean to yell at you." She apologized lamely.

Elijah shook it away. "I deserved it." Then he walked closer to her. "This is how it will be at the beginning. Your experience with vampires may have made you believe we feel nothing. But it is quite the opposite. We feel even more than humans. To some, it can become so overwhelming that they choose to suppress all emotions completely."

Hayley nodded her head, understanding what he meant. But it didn't change how frustrated she was with herself. Elijah raised her chin with his thumb. "You will still be you, Hayley." He encouraged. "Just even more stubborn…if possible, more satirical. And I'm assuming that foul mouth of yours will only get worse." He said with a smirk as he wrapped his hands around her waist. Hayley finally broke, and let out a laugh. Elijah couldn't describe the feeling of hearing her laughter so close to him.

Hayley wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders "Fantastic. Something for you to look forward to." She said cynically with a grin. "Why do you put up with me?" She asked rhetorically.

"Because I love you." Elijah said simply. Hayley's smile vanished at how serious he was. It had completely caught her off guard. He watched her closely, trying to read how she was handling it.

Then, he quickly moved on. "But you forget all the other things that will be increased."

It took a moment for Hayley to register what he said. She cleared her throat. "Like what?" She asked, honestly unable to think of the good that could come from all this.

"Your hidden kindness that you refuse to acknowledge, your ability to read those around you, your cleverness, and your strength…shall I go on?" He offered.

"NO!" Hayley rushed, embarrassed at all of the things he was pointing out that no one ever had before. Then she smiled shyly. "I get it." Then her eyes stared into his. Suddenly, she gave him a quick kiss. He was caught off guard by it and didn't understand where it came from.

"Your brother is probably going on a rampage right now." Hayley changed the subject before Elijah could look into why she'd done it.

"Yes, well, Kol has probably already ate half the town and seduced any women he finds moderately attractive." Elijah sounded annoyed by it. But Hayley could tell that he was hiding how truly happy he was to have his family back.

Elijah walked toward the hotel door and gracefully held it open for her. But when he looked over at Hayley, she was staring at him carefully. He waited, unaware of what she was thinking for once.

"I love you too." She finally said before walking quickly out of the hotel room, not waiting or stopping for him to follow.

* * *

**Review? :/**

**Tonight's episode:**

**1) Klaus saying "I was half way to Chicago." I'm starting to believe these similarities are more than just coincidence!**

**2) I got a sick, sick joy out of hearing Klaus just say the name Hayley ;)**

**3) ELIJAH'S BACK NEXT EPISODE! (Even if it is just a flashback :/ )**

**4) If Julie Plec is reading this story, feel free to hire me as an intern or something...i will get coffee for you...i will sell my soul to the devil. NOTHING IS TOO FAR.**


	13. Part XIII

**Hey...thanks? I took some cold medicine so I'm a wil weird. **

* * *

Hayley and Elijah went downstairs, expecting to find Kol and Finn. But when they reached the fancy lobby, they were nowhere to be found.

"Where are they?" Hayley asked him.

Elijah looked at her seriously. "Listen for them." He instructed. "Your hearing is more powerful than ever before." She had to get used to it sooner or later.

Hayley didn't enjoy being put on the spot. But she understood that she had to learn to control her powers at some point. She slowly nodded her head. But when she tried to listen, all she could hear were the obnoxious and magnified sounds of the lobby: the receptionist quickly typing on the computer, the busboy cleaning glasses, and a maid vacuuming. She couldn't shut any of it out.

Elijah was quickly at her side and put his mouth to her ear. "Focus, Hayley." He whispered. "Close your eyes and concentrate." He could tell that she was already frustrated for not being successful on her first try. But it wasn't expected.

She slowly nodded her head and concentrated even harder. That was when she was able to block out everything in the room and try to go further. Then she heard Kol speaking outside. He seemed to be flirting with someone. Hayley's eyes shot open and a smile spread on her lips from her accomplishment. Without saying anything to Elijah, she practically skipped out toward where she heard Kol. He followed anyway a few steps behind.

When they found both Kol and Finn, they saw that there was a girl speaking to the younger original. She was shorter with beach blonde hair, brown eyes, and pounds of make-up on. Kol was flirting with her so obviously. Finn leaned against the wall, looking quite bored with his little brother's embarrassing habits. Hayley quickly walked down the stairs. She kissed Kol on the cheek. But instead of looking mad, he smirked at her surprisingly.

"Kol, darling, your brothers and I are waiting for you. You promised you'd take me hunting." Hayley said innocently and grabbed his hand. She glanced down at the girl. "Oh, excuse me. I'm Hayley, Kol's girlfriend. What is your name?" She asked politely. But the girl scoffed, rolled her eyes, and quickly walked away.

The moment the girl was back inside the hotel, Hayley let go of Kol's hand and stepped away. Elijah laughed at her hoax. Even Finn looked amused.

"What was that for?" Kol asked.

"If I hadn't done it, we would have been waiting here until tomorrow." Hayley said with a smile as she walked to Elijah's side.

"Tis true." Finn commented.

"I hope that was not the beginning of a horrible irritating bad habit." Kol said to Hayley.

"I can't make any promises." She smirked.

"Where the bloody hell did you find her?" Kol asked his brother as he gestured dramatically toward Hayley. But Elijah's only response was a small laugh.

* * *

They were in the park now. Elijah thought it was the safest option for her. They could easily conceal anything that went wrong. But there were still people wandering around practically asking to be fed on.

Elijah and Hayley sat on a bench near the pond. Kol and Finn stood alone and were instructed to intervene should anything happen. But if it did, Kol had no intention on stopping it. He would rather stand back and watch chaos break out.

"What if I kill someone?" Hayley asked quietly.

"I won't let that happen." Elijah promised. She only nodded her head.

"Can you give me a second?" She asked him. For some reason, the thought of him watching her hunt bothered Hayley. Elijah was about to say something, but stopped himself. It took a moment for him to nod his head slowly and finally agree. He got up and moved to another part of the park, but watched her closely.

Hayley stood up and walked to the edge of the pond. Her hearing suddenly picked up a group of boys laughing and joking around on the other side of the water. Clearly they were ditching school. They had to be the same age as her. Once she realized it, she felt weird. Only a few weeks ago, she could have been just like them. But everything had changed. Hayley watched one of them closely. He was rather cute, but he was also the quietest of the group. Suddenly, as if he could feel her watching him, he looked up at her. He stared at her for a moment, not blinking an eye. His friends didn't even notice his diverted attention.

Hayley was too far away to be compelling him. But still, the boy seemed to be utterly mesmerized by her. She slowly started walking away, giving him one long look before turning. She walked toward a group of thick trees that shielded her from the rest of the park. The boy followed and left his friends without a word.

Kol stood up straight from leaning against a tree. His eyes narrowed as he watched Hayley from a distance. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" He muttered to himself. But both of his brothers heard Kol perfectly from their separate places around the park. Elijah didn't respond, but knew exactly what Kol spoke of.

The boy made his way into the trees and became confused when Hayley was nowhere to be found. Then he turned around to see she had been standing right behind him. He jumped back a little in surprise. Hayley didn't waste any time. She didn't want to know his name or even hear his voice, anything that would make him appear human.

Hayley stepped forward as his heartbeat sped up. She leaned in so close that the boy thought she was about to kiss him. But then she tilted down to his neck. Her mouth opened just slightly to expose her fangs that seemed to practically be throbbing with hunger. She hesitated, just a second, before she bit into his flesh. The warm blood that slowly dripped down her throat was completely incomparable to the bag Elijah gave her earlier. She bit even harder, earning a quiet gasp of pain from the boy. She wanted more. Hayley was so distracted and entranced by the feed that she didn't sense Elijah come from nowhere to her side.

"Hayley, that's enough." He said to her. But she ignored him. Kol and Finn were now standing only a few feet away. "Hayley, if you don't let go, you will kill him." Elijah said more firmly. The word 'kill' echoed in her head and by some miracle, she found the strength to let go. She tore herself away from her victim and ended up running into Kol. He caught her easily with a smirk and steadied her.

Hayley wiped the blood off her mouth with the back of her hand. She looked up to see Elijah had given the boy some of his blood and then compelled him to forget everything and go straight home. It didn't matter if she managed not to kill him; she still felt guilty for treating him like food. Elijah turned to see her staring at the blood on the back of her hand that she'd wiped off.

"You did fine." He reassured her. She just looked at him, convinced that he would have said the same thing even if she'd ripped the poor boy's head off.

"Are you going to tell her or not?" Kol asked his oldest brother. Elijah's jaw tightened at his brother's meddling. He didn't want to give Hayley something else to deal with along with everything else.

Hayley now became confused. "Tell me what?"

Kol took a step closer, with his signature smirk. "What you are, darling."

She looked up at Elijah for an answer. He took in a deep breath. "Kol seems to believe that you are a siren."

"I don't understand. What does that mean?" She asked.

"There are some who recognize subcultures in the vampire world. Sirens are a group that many believed to no longer exist." Elijah started and gave Kol another glare. "A siren is a female vampire who can hypnotize a victim of the opposite gender with a look alone."

"It's very rare." Kol whispered, amused by Hayley's perplexed expression. But before she could respond, Kol sighed. "Well, I'm sick of watching other people eat. I'm going to find something for myself…maybe a small child of some sorts." He said with an evil gleam in his eye. Elijah sighed at his little brothers dramatics and followed him out of the trees. He didn't trust Kol to behave on his own.

It was now just Finn and Hayley alone. He watched her carefully. But Hayley didn't even notice. Now that no one could catch him, he was finally able to observe her. He understood his oldest brother's infatuation with her. The way Elijah watched over her was similar to the way he used to watch over Sage. Finn's own love was also the reason for understanding why Elijah changed Hayley. But Finn, the quiet and observant one wondered what else there was to this young girl. He hadn't missed the reaction when her and Kol had first touched one another. It made him curious.

Hayley, so lost in her thoughts, had forgotten that Finn still stood a few feet away from her. She was too busy wrapping her mind around being a siren. Her eyes stared out in front of her, not actually looking at anything. Mentally, she was not in the present.

"You truly did well for just being turned." Finn said softly to her. He had noticed when Elijah gave her credit she didn't seem to really believe it. Hayley turned quickly and met Finn's intense gaze. But she stayed quiet. "What did you feel when you shook Kol's hand?" Finn asked calmly.

Hayley seemed surprised by the question, not expecting him to have noticed either of their reactions. But she didn't really see the point in lying about it, even though she easily could.

"I don't really know how to explain it." It was sort of like when Elijah and I found each other at the right time. I always assumed we got that feeling because of the…" Hayley stopped, not knowing if he knew about the prophecy or if Elijah wanted his family to know.

"The prophecy?" Finn asked. Apparently, he did know.

"Yes." She finally confessed. "So I don't understand why any of that would happen with Kol." Hayley said it more to herself. Then she started thinking about that new mystery instead of being a siren.

Finn confidently held out his hand to her, his palm up. But he looked her straight in the eye. Hayley didn't know why it made her so nervous. Ever so slowly, she reached until her own hand was in his. Before she could take it back, Finn softly grasped it. Hayley took a quick inhale. Neither of them needed to say anything. They both felt it. She quickly took a step back, breaking the bond.

Hayley looked up at him, about to ask if he had any idea what it was, but then Elijah called her name in the distance. A human wouldn't have been able to hear it. Even though she had yet to get accustomed to her supernatural powers, Hayley always heard when Elijah called her name.

* * *

"I don't understand why I can't come with!" Hayley protested. She stood in the hotel bedroom, her arms crossed and a glare fixed in her eyes. She assumed Finn and Kol could perfectly hear anywhere in the suite, but she didn't care. She wanted to go with them and see Klaus for herself.

Elijah stood patiently, not taken aback by her reaction at all. Hayley's stubbornness was something he'd learned about ever since she was a child. She was never one to do as she was told. Authority had been missing through her entire adolescence practically. So when others did try to give her commands, it didn't sit well with her.

"It is precisely the same reason why I continued to leave you all that time." He stated quietly. "With my siblings back, Niklaus has absolutely no collateral." Then, without meaning to, he shifted his stance. His eyes stared into hers. "You're all he has against me, Hayley." Elijah whispered as he shifted his gaze to the window.

Hayley stood her ground, hiding the sympathy to what he was trying to tell her. She slowly shook her head and cleared her throat. "What good has it ever done, leaving me behind?" She challenged coarsely. "I am so sick of being the helpless girl left to wait around."

Elijah didn't respond. Instead, he thought of all the harm that had come to Hayley because of him and his brother. She was almost kidnapped as a child. Then her mangled body reappeared in his mind again. And now, here she stood: a new vampire. Had he failed at stopping the darkness from ruining her life? Could a prophecy be broken just as magically as it had been born?

Hayley watched him as he became lost in his thoughts. She slowly walked over at him. Her cold hand cupped the side of his face. "You go through all of these ridiculous measures to make sure I'm safe. But you never stop and think of how I'm trying to do the same thing for you." Then her hand slowly moved from his cheek down to his neck until both of her hands were wrapped around his strong shoulders.

"This is it." Hayley clarified. Confusion filled Elijah's face. "This is the last time you let your brother control your actions. I'm not letting you endanger your life because of him ever again."

Elijah stole a glance at all of her features: blue-green eyes, full pink lips, and the blonde hair that glowed red. There was never going to be a time when he could describe the way he felt about her. She would never understand how much she changed his life. From the light she brought him when she was just a child to the purpose she gave him now.

"After tonight, I will never leave you again. My brother can no longer keep me from you." Elijah said before kissing her on the lips. He had always been one of the strongest vampires when it came to control. But with Hayley, he lost all of it. Elijah felt her grip at the collar of his suit, pulling him as close to her as possible. He didn't want to stop and he could only guess Hayley's new vampire senses didn't want to either. But the sooner he dealt with Klaus, the sooner he could return and fulfill his promise to her. Elijah pulled away and kissed Hayley on the cheek before walking toward the door.

Hayley leaned in the open doorway of the bedroom and into the living room to watch him leave. Kol and Finn watched him go. The plan was for Elijah to confront their brother first. Apparently, someone had let it slip that Elijah was awake. But Klaus was under the impression that the rest of his family was still in Stefan's possession. And he still searched for Hayley ever day. He was only step away from killing Damon to get Stefan to return her to him. Everything was becoming chaotic. And after going to extreme measures on both ends, the two sets of brothers decided a meeting needed to be arranged.

The plan was for Finn and Kol to revive Rebekah and finally intervene. Hayley, meanwhile, would wait in the hotel by herself. She didn't bother hiding her frustration at everyone for throwing her aside as if she was incapable of protecting herself or being a hazard.

Elijah was gone in seconds. Hayley could hear him disappear into the distance at vampire speed. Kol watched her now with a smirk on his face. "Oh, come now. Don't look so troubled." He got up from his seat. "You're so much more beautiful when you're happy." Then he thought for a second. "But you are rather erotic when mad."

Hayley glared at him. "Shut up."

"I see…you're mad because Elijah is overprotective while you believe you are perfectly capable of taking care of yourself. Am I correct?" Kol asked. But her only confirmation was the clenching of her jaw.

Kol took a step closer to her and shrugged his shoulders. "Then come with us." He said simply. Hayley immediately became confused. She narrowed her eyes, trying to figure out his game. "What's stopping you?" Kol continued mischievously. Then Hayley became embarrassed at how right he was. She had a free will. She could technically do whatever she wanted. But she had no idea where Klaus and Elijah would be.

"Come with us." Kol said casually. "Wait outside. Then you'll be able to hear everything and know that your precious Elijah is alright." He teased.

"Kol!" Finn finally intervened. But Kol just had on a beaming smile and shrugged his shoulders.

* * *

An hour later, Finn, Kol, and Hayley all stood outside a white mansion. Apparently this is where Klaus lived while all of his family was shoved into coffins. It made Hayley disgusted. What kind of monster was this Klaus?

Finn looked down at his watch. "Let us go wake sister." He glanced at Hayley, basically saying that this was as far as he would let her go. He started walking to the house, making sure to be completely undetected.

Kol then winked at Hayley before starting after his brother. "Kol." She whispered quickly. He stopped and raised an eyebrow at her in question. "I just… Why did you go out of your way to get me to come with you?" She asked awkwardly. She didn't understand him what possessed him to do it. Kol didn't seem like the person to help others without it benefiting himself.

Kol looked back at where his brother had walked, making sure he was far enough away that he couldn't hear him talking to Hayley. He walked closer, so close that it almost made her take a step away.

"You aren't as helpless as others think. After all, you escaped, un-daggered us, and died trying to make sure it could not happen again." For the first time since she'd met him, Kol had no grin or smirk on his lips. "You freed me from a century in a coffin. I am simply returning the favor." Now his crooked smile was back, all seriousness gone just as quickly as it had arrived.

Hayley was in awe of Kol. Perhaps she had judged him too quickly before. "A simply thank you would have done the trick." She said sarcastically as he started walking backward away from her.

"Yes, but rather boring I might add." He said before disappearing to another part of the mansion's property.

Hayley sighed and looked around at the surrounding forest. She leaned against one of the many nice cars that were parked on the circular driveway. Then she heard two people approaching from the house. She stood up straighter, trying to be at the peak of her senses.

Stefan and Damon Salvatore were walking toward her. Damon smirked as soon as he saw her, but Stefan stopped dead in his tracks. Hayley said nothing as she glared at both of them. "Well, well, well, someone cleans up nicely. Who knew you could be so hot when you're not on the brink of death?" Damon commented with a smile.

"Why didn't you tell me you were Elijah's gal?" Damon continued, only half concerned about the answer. His question caused Stefan's eyes to flicker toward his older brother. He had no idea of Hayley and Elijah, only that she was Klaus' one true friend.

Hayley continued to ignore Damon. Instead, she eyed Stefan. Right now she wondered why she didn't just tell Elijah it was him that had done all of those things to her. There was a murderous rage gradually building inside of her as she watched him. She tried to tell herself it was the vampirism magnifying such emotions. But it was pointless. Hayley suddenly realized that the car she was leaning against was one of theirs, for they seemed to be waiting for her to move away from it.

"Is this yours?" She asked emotionlessly.

Damon smirked. "Stefan's." He clarified.

Hayley slammed her hand against the windshield. The glass shattered easily. She tilted her head, daring them to do something. But Stefan still stared at the ground. She walked past them, shoving against both of their shoulders as she did so. Now she stood only a few feet away from the front door, not bothering to make sure the Salvatores left. Then she tried to concentrate on listening to what was going on inside. She strained to remember what Elijah told her, focusing on only what she wanted to.

"I like what you've done to the new place, Nik." Hayley heard a female voice say just before a shattering was followed. She assumed it was Rebekah.

"I wanted it to be for all of a us. A place we could all call home. A place we could all be a family. None of us would ever have to be alone again." Another person said so quiet that it was terrifyingly sad. Hayley squinted at the voice. Why did it sound so familiar? The accent, the speech, the sadness…where had she heard it before? Hayley's eyes widened when she figured out who it reminded her of. Her curiosity took over. It didn't matter what she'd promised Kol and Finn. She had to know.

Hayley whipped open the front door and went to the room where she had heard the voices coming from. She stood in doorway of a large dining room, a fireplace blazing on the opposite side. But the sight in front of her kept Hayley from noticing anything else. Nick was held down by Kol as Rebekah held a steak knife in her hand, ready to plunge it into him.

"NO!" Hayley yelled as an instinct. All she registered was Nick about to get stabbed and killed. She raced forward with her vampire speed that was even faster than those of her kind. She flew between Rebekah and Nick, stopping any attacks from trouncing him. Klaus was in shock that she was a vampire. He didn't know what happened to her. It was Stefan, he told himself. A wave of guilt washed over him.

In her anger and shock, Hayley's eyes had turned to their predator form and her fangs slid out. "Stop." She hissed defiantly at Rebekah, showing no fear.

Elijah watched in horror and confusion. What was Hayley even doing here? But more importantly, why was she protecting Niklaus as if she knew him? He immediately intervened, stopping his sister from attacking Hayley, this new vampire whom she did not know.

"Have you gone mad?" Kol asked Hayley with Klaus still held restrained in his grasp.

She quickly turned to face him. "Let him go." She demanded. But Kol only narrowed his eyes, trying to hide how utterly confused he was. "I said let him go!" In her anger, she pushed him off of Klaus. Kol practically let her due to his concentration already being deterred.

"Who the bloody hell is this?" Rebekah almost yelled as she started toward Hayley. Elijah was about to stop her from doing any harm. But he was stopped in his tracks when he saw Klaus step protectively in front of Hayley as soon as their sister started forward.

"Get away from her." Elijah found himself growling. He flew into Klaus, shoving so hard against the wall that it shook. Hayley stared in dismay. She didn't try to pull him off of Nick. She'd never seen Elijah angry before. And it caused her to freeze in place.

"Stop!" She begged. Elijah quickly looked at her, confused on why she was protecting him. "What's going on?" Hayley whispered to Elijah. She finally put together that something was missing. She didn't understand. Why did this all feel so wrong?

Klaus shoved his older brother off of him. He now looked at Hayley. His siblings were in complete awe of how much his entire demeanor softened as he regarded her.

"How do you know Niklaus?" Finn asked the question they all wanted the answer to, while they remained absolutely speechless.

Hayley then squinted at him. "What are you talking about? Nick is my friend. He's not Klaus." She murmured. Then she stopped asking questions and started trying to put it together herself. Slowly she was figuring it out. The things that always confused her friendship with Nick were finally making sense. They never saw each other when Elijah was with her. And he left her soon after Elijah went to Mystic Falls. Hayley's eyes slowly rose to meet Klaus'. They were filled with tears.

"All that time…" She whispered. But she couldn't even continue. A gasp escaped her. It was filled with such anxiety that it almost sounded like she was in pain. That was why Stefan and Mikael had kidnapped her. It wasn't for Elijah; it was for him. They knew she was his friend. And they had planned on using her against him just like Elijah had feared that Klaus would do to him.

Klaus took a step forward. "Let me explain." He begged as he reached out a hand toward her. But she stepped back in fear and disgust.

Hayley shook her head and she walked backwards. "Stay away from me." She whispered harshly. And before anyone could say anything, she had disappeared from the mansion at vampire speed.

Elijah wanted to go after her immediately. But he was too angry and confused with his brother. He completely caught Klaus off guard, nailing him to the floor by the neck.

"What did you do?" Elijah practically snarled. "How does she know you?" He slammed Klaus' head harder into the wooden floors.

Klaus finally focused on the situation at hand. He shoved his older brother off of him and stood strong on his feet. He'd had enough of allowing his siblings to push him around. "We are friends." He said darkly. There was now an evil gleam in his eye as he read how angry the very idea made Elijah.

"That doesn't appear to be true anymore." Kol said almost in a laugh.

"What sick game are you playing?" Elijah spoke. "You wished to trick her into believing you were someone else and then kill her in front of me?" He guessed.

"The prophecy wasn't just about you!" Klaus finally admitted. He'd made references to him about it once before. But Elijah had never figured them out.

"You lie." Elijah snapped.

"Am I, dear brother?" Klaus challenged with a tilt of his head. "You were only shown one part of the prophecy. It goes beyond what you believe…what you think you know."

"Elijah, what he speaks of could be true. When Kol and I touched her, we could feel it." Finn cut in surprisingly. But Elijah still glared at Klaus as if he was going to rip his head off. His jaw was clenched and his hands in fists.

"She is to become part of our family." Klaus said simply. "This is bigger than you or her." He stated in a condescending tone.

Elijah quickly walked toward his brother. He was completely in Klaus' face, leaving barely a centimeter between their skins. "Stay away from her." He sneered, something Elijah almost never did. And then he was gone, off to find Hayley wherever she went. His siblings could deal with Niklaus. He needed to locate Hayley and get her as far away from here as possible.

* * *

**So I know I made Hayley a siren in Silence Changes. But that concept was fun to work with so I did it again. The other thing...I want to know your thoughts! Write a review and I will love you forever. FOR-EV-ER! FOR-EV-ER! FOR-EV-ER!**


	14. Part XIV

**So it took me a really long time to update...i hardly got any feedback from the last two chapter so that was kind of a downer and I lost my motivation. Plus, finals have started so I've been really busy. Anyways...here it is.**

* * *

How quickly Hayley fled took Elijah back. She was fast, faster than any other vampire he had ever seen. But he was still able to find her tracks and scent. And somehow, he knew where to go to locate her. Perhaps it was the magic that linked them together. That was how it felt when he found her at the lake, practically dead. Elijah knew he would always be able to find her no matter what.

A few minutes later, he ended up in the town square of Mystic Falls. Since it was the middle of the night, the town was practically deserted. Everyone was in the safety of their homes, most likely asleep. Elijah glanced around, trying to see her. He could sense that she was close. Then something made him look up instead of around. At the end of the street, Hayley was sitting on the edge of one of the roofs, staring up at the sky and across the town. Elijah took in a deep breath before making his way toward the building.

In seconds, he was at the other end of the roof, slowly walking toward her. She let her head hang as soon as she heard him. Despite her running away, Elijah knew that Hayley wanted to talk about it. And he also knew that she wouldn't do it with anyone but him. He carefully sat next to her. While her feet dangled over the edge, Elijah's back was facing the other way as he turned his head and stared at her patiently.

"I'm an idiot." Hayley said quietly, looking at her feet.

"Niklaus is the most manipulative and conniving people in this world. Even the most skeptical and cautious become victim to his methods." Elijah defended instantly.

"After everything he did to your family…and meanwhile, I was his friend." Hayley finally looked at him. "I loved him as a friend, Elijah!" She said it with such disgust. All that time of Elijah being desiccated because of him and she had been friends with the enemy. She felt as if she had betrayed Elijah.

"Hayley, you didn't know." He reassured her.

But she shook her head. "But I do now." She whispered, looking back at her feet. Elijah narrowed his eyes, not quite sure what she was meant. "And I still…" Hayley stopped herself as her voice started to shake. "I still look at him as my friend. Even knowing who he really is, I can't stop looking at him like I did before."

Elijah was silent. He hadn't expected her to say anything like that. Jealousy: this new feeling that he had never experienced before her. He didn't know how to handle it. But Elijah was able to see that it was the reason he wanted her to hate his brother so badly. Even picturing Niklaus and her becoming mere friends made his blood boil. At first, he didn't believe his younger brother was capable of such things. But he remembered how Niklaus looked at Hayley. And Elijah became even angrier when he could read the honest love and affectionate he saw in his brother's eyes when he looked at her earlier. Elijah wanted to convince himself it was all a ruse, but he couldn't.

"I can't forgive him." Hayley added, looking out over the town now. Except what she really wanted to say was that she couldn't forgive him…_yet._ "But I can't hate him like you want me to." She said in shame. Elijah's jaw tightened a little. Hayley took a deep breath in and he could hear the trembling in it, the sound that could be heard right before someone breaks down and cries. She finally leaned into him. Elijah instantly put his arms around her and gently kissed the top of her head.

"I just want to go home." Hayley whispered. They both knew she meant the hotel. Except Elijah couldn't help but think she was referring to the home in Chicago. The place where it had just been the two of them, before any of his family interposed. She didn't want to think about Klaus anymore. Her vampire senses allowed her to push it to the back of her mind for now.

Hayley slowly swung her legs back from hanging off the roof. She walked a few steps away from the edge and then paused when she realized Elijah was still sitting. She turned and tilted her head when she was unable to read his expression as he stared at her. "What?" She asked with a nervous grin.

Elijah shook his head as he looked down at the gravel that covered the roof's entire surface. "With all that has happened today, it wasn't until now that I seemed to realize I have the rest of my immortality to spend with you." He said quietly. For once, he had hope for their future. There was no smile on Hayley's lips, but he could see it in her eyes perfectly. He stood up as she slowly walked back toward him.

Hayley gently grabbed his hands. "After everything we've been through, I think it's the least we deserve." She muttered to him in her husky voice. But she quickly backed away. Her features suddenly became mischievous. "I'll race you." She challenged.

"Is that so?" He countered.

"I loved running when I was human. But this…is amazing." Hayley explained. Then, before he could give her an answer, she flashed away. Elijah smiled and shook is head half a second before going after her. They raced through the woods and shadows of Mystic Falls. Elijah had to admit, he wasn't sure if he would even be able to catch up to her. In only a few minutes, they were back at the fancy hotel. Hayley finally slowed to a walk, but gasped when Elijah pinned her against the side of the hotel. He was gentle, but quick. He would never hurt her. It mostly just caught her off guard.

Hayley glanced down to see that Elijah's hands were firmly around her waist. But she had already felt them there. She didn't know whether it was because she was a new vampire or because she finally fed on a human, but every touch she felt was magnified. Her senses almost couldn't handle it. But Elijah seemed to already know this. Ever so slowly, he pulled her back off the wall so she was closer to him.

But Hayley pulled away just a little, only to envelope his lips in a passionate kiss. Before Elijah really had time to respond, she disappeared. He smiled at her teasing and knew she had made her way back to their room. Conveniently, none of his siblings were lingering in the room. They were probably off feeding or tormenting Klaus more.

All the lights were off when Elijah opened the door. Hayley was silently watching him from the window. The moonlight coming in behind caused her entire body to become a silhouette. In the blink of an eye, he was standing barely an inch away from her. She didn't jump at his speed. Without saying a word, Hayley slowly gripped the collar of Elijah's suit jacket. And with no objection from him, she slid it off his shoulders and dropped it onto the floor. She then reached for his tie, but he gently grabbed her hand before she could loosen it. Instead, he stared deep into her eyes. He didn't understand how she could be so beautiful. None of it made sense. He didn't deserve her. What justified fate's reasoning for bringing them together?

"Elijah?" Hayley whispered, bringing him back to the present. His eyes flashed. He would never get used to her saying his name in such a way. But he didn't respond to her unasked question. Ever so slowly, he leaned in again. His gaze flickered to hers just before their lips touched again. She immediately reciprocated, practically melting against him. His hands swiftly slid off her leather jacket. He took over without losing his noble repute. Hayley seemed to realize this and relaxed now that he was in control.

They were in their bedroom now. As they continued to kiss, Hayley felt Elijah's hands sneak under her shirt. His hands felt warm against her back. She couldn't stand it anymore. She pulled away from his lips to take off her t-shirt. The second it hit the floor Elijah placed kisses across her pale and smooth skin. Hayley felt his lips on her bare shoulder, her collarbone, and then her neck. A whisper of a laugh escaped out of her from his kisses being so light, they tickled. Then her smile slowly faded as she looked into his eyes. Her hand was against his cheek as her thumb traced his cheekbone.

"I love you, Elijah." She whispered. It was the first time she had said it to him on her own. There was almost surprise in her voice, as if she was just now realizing it. Hayley remembered the last time they spoke before he was daggered by Klaus. Elijah had tried to tell her he loved her, somehow sensing he was truly in danger. But she had cut him off, not wanting to hear it, before he could actually say he loved her. She hadn't wanted to accept his love. Not yet.

The back of his hand grazed down the side of her arm. "I love you, Hayley." He said it so differently than she had. It was firm and self-assured… like he had known it all of his existence. After all, Elijah had been waiting for Hayley her entire life. And even before he met her, he knew that he loved her. There had never been a question in the matter for him. He'd only been waiting for her to love him back.

* * *

Elijah woke up right before sunrise to Hayley sleep talking. She was having a nightmare. Although her naked body slept on his chest, she kept holding onto him tighter and tighter. Elijah was about to wake her up, tell her that it was all just a dream. It bothered him, hearing such discomfort and fear in her voice. But then he recognized a name she muttered. Stefan. She kept saying his name, telling him that she didn't care if she died. Elijah immediately knew what it meant. Before everything had been unfolded, he believed Klaus was the one that took Hayley and was responsible for her dying. But he soon realized that it wasn't his brothers doing. Elijah had been so preoccupied with just Hayley's presence that he hadn't put more thought into it. But now Elijah knew. It was Stefan. His jaw tightened in anger at the understanding.

Elijah took a deep breath as he looked down at Hayley again. Maybe their relationship took a different course than he ever wanted, but they still got to the same place. He couldn't hate himself for everything that happened to her. All that he wanted was this: her safely asleep in his arms. Ever so carefully, he moved off the bed and made sure his movements didn't wake her. He walked to the window, looking outside. Then he turned to face the bed and was amazed at what he saw.

When Klaus had daggered him, visions desperately broke into his mind. Hayley asleep on a bed, clearly unclothed with her back the only skin exposed. Elijah was stunned to see the vision before him once again. Only this time, it wasn't a vision; it was real. He smiled a little to himself. Then he wondered if that original vision, the one that showed her beauty to him first would come true before his eyes as well. But before he could wonder about it anymore. He heard someone putting a key into the suite.

Immediately, Elijah was in the entrance of the suite to confront anyone that entered. His face immediately turned into a threatening glare when he recognized Niklaus standing in the doorway with his hand still on the handle. His brother only smirked at him, showing no fear or negative reaction.

"How indecent of you brother…what a scandal you've become." Klaus mocked his brother, as he looked him up and down. Elijah was wearing no shirt and flannel pajama pants. It was one of the very few times Klaus had seen his brother out of a suit.

"Leave before I rip out your throat." Elijah said so calmly that it was unsettling.

"Good luck with that." Klaus' smirk instantly turned into a scowl at hearing such a threat aimed at him. "I'm not here to see you." He said almost in a growl.

"After everything you have done, what a type of fool would you be to think I would let you anywhere near her." Elijah quickly snapped at his brother. But his tone was still emotionless and cool.

Klaus stepped forward, getting into this brother's face like they always did when they fought. "While you were gallivanting across the country trying to kill me, I was the one with her. While you were searching for your pathetic and wasted revenge, I was the one giving her what she needed." Then he took a step back and tilted his head. "Are you really mad at our friendship…or are you mad at yourself for never being there?"

And that was all it took. That was all that needed to be said to push Elijah's renowned patience over a dark and terrifying edge. He grabbed Klaus' leather jacket by the collar and held his little brother at his will. "I could have stayed with her if you had never tried to destroy our family. I stayed away to protect her from you."

"Well, it was a waste of time now, wasn't it?" Klaus rumbled.

"Leave her be. If you care about her as much as you claim, you will do what she wishes." Elijah said once again. He thought it was about to go to physical blows. But, by some miracle, Klaus actually listened to what his brother had to say. The hybrid stood firmly in his place, fighting inner chaos. He wanted to speak with Hayley. But what good would that do if she never wanted to speak with him again? His fists clenched just before he stormed out of the hotel room. Elijah instantly let his body relax at the sight.

The second he was sure that Klaus was gone; Elijah quietly went back into the bedroom to change. He needed to do something. And it was best that he did it while Hayley was still sleeping.

A few minutes later, he was dressed in one of his suits. After he finished straightening his tie, his eyes wandered to Hayley's sleeping body. For a split second, he almost decided to just stay with her. She had such a hold on him. Elijah slowly walked toward the bed. He softly placed a kiss on her cheek before disappearing out of the suite.

* * *

Damon hadn't been able to sleep. Instead, he drank in the den of the boarding house. As usual, a fire was blazing. He stared at the flames and rubbed his face in exhaustion. Trying to kill Klaus was something that seemed almost impossible now. He couldn't sleep while he was hoping Klaus' siblings would just finish him instead.

Damon suddenly felt someone else in the room. They knew he sensed them, but had yet to say anything. Casually, Damon finished the rest of the alcohol in his glass and then slammed it on the table next to him.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Damon asked Elijah without turning around.

"You must have realized I would visit eventually."

Damon finally turned. "Yes. But I'm still unaware on what terms." He said it with his signature smirk. But Elijah could see right through it.

"I came to repay a debt." Elijah said calmly.

This seemed to catch the younger vampire off guard. "What?"

Elijah stepped further into the room. "You saved Hayley's life. There was absolutely no validation for you doing so. Therefore, I am in debt to you." He paused for a moment. "I know it was your brother who killed her."

Damon calmly watched him with narrowed eyes. He remained silent.

"I had every intention of coming here and ripping Stefan's heart out. But I found you before him. I am already aware that you will ask me to spare his life in return for you saving hers." Elijah imagined he would regret his decision. He immediately saw the older Salvatore relax after he understood that his brother would be spared. "Consider the favor returned." He stated formerly, turning toward the door.

"Did _she_ tell you it was Stefan?" Damon asked emotionlessly.

Elijah stopped in his tracks and turned to face him again. "No. On the contrary, I believe she was keeping it from me." He put his hands in his pockets. "I expect she knew what I would do once I found out."

"Protecting the one who killed her." Damon sang as he shook his head and sneered at the ridiculousness. It sounded like something Elena would do.

"Or protecting the one who saved her." Elijah offered confidently. His statement appeared to catch Damon off guard. His smirk wiped right off his lips. But Elijah disappeared before any more words could be exchanged.

* * *

"_Or…we could take the girl and bring her to Klaus. I'm sure he would enjoy that more than killing you. Think about how fun it would be! Klaus could raise her just like a puppy! She would be quite a pet." The voice was eerie and echoed in Hayley's mind as she dreamed. Images of Elijah ripping out the vampire's heart flashed, following the echoing threat. Then there was the sound of a child crying. It took a moment for Hayley to realize it was her. "Hayley…I would never hurt you."_

Hayley shot up in bed, breathing heavily. Immediately, she understood that it wasn't just a nightmare. It had been a memory. Elijah said he compelled her to forget that memory. Then why had she remembered it? Hayley ran her hand through her hair and looked around the room. Elijah was nowhere to be found.  
Loneliness suddenly washed over her. She hugged as if she was cold even though no such thing happened to vampires. Hayley listened to see if anyone else was in the hotel. But it was completely empty. Then, for some reason, her thoughts went to Klaus. She was unwilling to believe that everything she said about Klaus was a lie. She wanted to talk to him. She wanted to know if everything that she once believed was really a lie. She wanted to talk to him. But she couldn't let Elijah know that. She didn't think she could handle his hurt if he did. So Hayley put on the act, to protect Klaus from Elijah and to protect Elijah from himself. Before Hayley could have second thoughts, she got out of bed and got dressed.

Klaus sat by the fireplace, drawing in his sketchbook. His siblings had left him alone hours ago. But he hadn't been able to sleep through the night. That was why he decided to try and speak with Hayley. He didn't leave to respect his brother's wishes. He had left because he was starting to believe that Hayley truly hated him and would never forgive him. The sun was just beginning to rise as he heard someone walk into the mansion. His bloody hybrids were starting to become useless. They were supposed to be patrolling the mansion.

Then he smelled her as soon as she stood in the doorway. Klaus' head whipped around to look at her and practically jumped out of his chair to stand. The golden light of the sunrise ignited one side of her face, leaving the other half in shadow. Her blonde hair looks completely red from the dawn. She tried to remain emotionless as she looked at him. But Klaus was able to read how torn and betrayed she felt in her eyes.

"I had a dream…I guess it was a nightmare." Hayley said softly, remaining in the doorway. "I was just a kid. Elijah and I were walking in the woods by my house. You sent two of your little slaves to send Elijah a message. One of them threatened to take me and give me to you…as a pet. Elijah ended up ripping out his heart. He told me years later that he compelled me to forget all of it…he said he couldn't bare the thought of that haunting me for the rest of my life." Then Hayley cleared her throat before she could sound emotional talking about all of it. While she had been glancing everywhere around the room beside him, Klaus stared at her eyes the entire time. A few moments of silence passed. He was too worried about saying anything that would ruin this chance for him to finally speak with her.

"When one becomes a vampire, all compulsion is lost." Klaus informed her. "That is why you remembered it."

Finally, she looked him in the eyes. It broke his heart to see that there were tears covering them. "I want you to tell me the truth. You at least owe me that much." She practically choked out. All Klaus could do was nod. "Was your intention always to trick me…to use and then kill me? Running into me at art store…at the café…was it all part of your big plan?" She accused him, getting more and more emotional as she went on.

"No." Klaus immediately answered. "I knew of your existence and of you and Elijah. And I…I just needed to meet you for some reason. But I never planned on harming you in any way." Hayley shook her head. She didn't want to believe any of it, but she knew him well enough to see he was telling the truth.

"You and I both know that you would never have accepted me as your friend had you known the truth." Klaus pointed out.

"Because we shouldn't be friends!" Hayley hurt him by immediately responding. "You took Elijah away from me. And you saw first hand what it did to me! You killed Luke! And I'm guessing you're also the reason he turned into a werewolf." She saw the surprise in his eyes when she brought up Luke. But there wasn't any guilt. "What kind of friend does that?" She asked him. Hayley didn't think she could stand here and explain why she was so hurt anymore. She turned to leave and found him standing right in front of her already.

"I'm sorry." Klaus surprised both of them by saying it. "I will do whatever it takes to get your forgiveness." He opened his mouth to say more but closed it before any words could form. He wasn't good at showing his emotions. Neither of them was. But Klaus had never felt so vulnerable and he knew if he wanted to keep his one friend, he couldn't hide all of it anymore.

"Being the most powerful creature in the world…I recognize when people become my companions only out of fear or desire for power. You were completely unknowing to my true identity. You weren't scared of me and you never realized how dangerous I was capable of being." Klaus took a step closer. "You saw me for who I really am…who I had been when I was human."

He could read the impact that his words had on Hayley. She was holding her breath, never expecting him to be so open with her. "Elijah never wants me to even speak to you again." She whispered almost pathetically. She was running out of reasons for hating him. "I love him, Nik."

"Last time I checked, you didn't do things people wanted you to." Klaus said, trying to suppress his impish smirk. Then it went away as he thought of something else. No one had told Hayley the other part of the prophecy, the part that involved the rest of their family. She knew Elijah and her were meant to be, but she wasn't aware how tied her life was to the original vampires. "Hayley…what if I told you that it wasn't just you and Elijah destined to be together…that the prophecy is more than just that?"

Hayley glanced at the floor right before meeting his intense gaze. "A part of me thinks I knew that all along." She whispered with a sad smile. Then she looked out the window to see that the sun was rising fast. Wherever Elijah had gone, he would probably be back soon. She didn't want him to ask her where she had been. Klaus followed her gaze out the window and somehow put together that she hadn't told his brother she was coming to see him.

"I have to go." Hayley told Klaus softly. She slowly backed away from him. But she stopped after a few steps, glanced at the door, and then back at him. Before she could change her mind, she slowly wrapped her arms around Klaus. He knew he didn't deserve any of it. He didn't deserve her forgiveness or her friendship. But that didn't stop him from embracing the comfort. His hands grasped tightly around her tiny back and his eyes closed at the feeling of being held by someone who truly loved him. And even if she refused to admit it, she did love him. Not like she loved Elijah, but loved him she did.

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**Just a warning: I'm not going to have Ester or her diabolical plan in this story. I already did it before. And I know it would bore me. **

**PLEASSEEEE I'm begging you, REVIEW! I'm stressed and it would make my day...NO! MY LIFE!**


	15. Part XV

**HOLY FUCK! I have never got such a response like I did from the last chapter. You guys are literally the best. 5 stars. High five. Gold Star. A+. I fucking love you.**

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Hayley slowly walked into the hotel suite, making sure to shut the door quietly. But when she turned around, Elijah was already standing in the room. She jumped and her hand flew over her heart. "Holy shit! How do you do that?" She asked him in a gasp. Hayley expected a smile to form on his lips, but his features remained composed. "Where were did you go? I woke up and you were gone." She said after a few seconds of him remaining silent.

"You were talking in your sleep." Elijah stated quietly while his hands were placed inside of his pockets. "You mentioned a certain Stefan Salvatore quite a few times." As soon as he said the young vampire's name, he saw Hayley's body freeze.

"Elijah, what did you do?" She practically whispered.

"Why did you not tell me?" He asked another question instead of answering hers. But Elijah knew that answer already. "Why did you try keeping the person safe who is the reason for you becoming a vampire?"

Hayley's jaw clenched. She didn't feel guilty for keeping it from him. If she learned anything from regaining the memory of her childhood it was that Elijah would do anything to protect her. That included killing anyone that harmed her or even threatened to. It almost scared her how composed Elijah was until the very moment she was the thing being put in danger.

"What did you do?" Hayley repeated her question.

Elijah shook his head at her refusal to answer him. "I did not kill him if that is your concern." He finally confessed. Hayley instantly relaxed. "I was indebted to Damon for what he did for you. To repay him, I simply spared his younger brother."

Hayley knew he wouldn't try and kill Stefan again. Elijah was a man of his word and an honorable one. But then she narrowed her eyes as she thought of something. "If you didn't owe Damon anything…would you have spared Stefan if I asked you to?" It was a test and both of them knew it.

Elijah ignored it. There was no need to tell her that what he did was unforgiveable and she would never be able to justify his actions. Even if she hid it well, Hayley was too kind for this cruel, supernatural world.

"May I ask where you are coming from or would you wish to keep that from me as well?" Elijah asked her as he glanced out the window. He ignored the hidden hurt in her eyes that was quickly replaced with resentment.

"I went to see Klaus." She said in a low voice.

Elijah's eyes shot to hers at the sound of his brother's name. "What?"

"I knew you would never let me see him." She instantly defended. Her arms crossed and she took in a deep breath before she continued. "I remembered that time they almost took me when I was a kid…your compulsion's gone. Then I woke up and you weren't there. And I just…I just instantly thought of him." She admitted sadly. "Because all that time you were gone, he was there."

Elijah never hated himself more as she confessed all of it to him. Because she was practically repeating what Klaus said to Elijah earlier that very morning. _Are you really mad at our friendship…or are you mad at yourself for never being there? _Klaus' words repeated in his head. This, in front of him right now, was the consequence for his actions. And Elijah hated that he let his brother get to him. But it was impossible when the girl he loved was standing right there, practically telling him the exact same thing.

Elijah was struggling to find what words to say. It was an uncommon thing. But before he could speak, his siblings burst into the room. All but Klaus were present. "Are we interrupting something?" Kol said with a smile, not actually caring if they were. But Finn looked between Hayley and Elijah, realizing that they actually had. Rebekah was the last one to enter. Her arms were crossed and she looked as if her brothers had forced her to come along. Hayley was too preoccupied with their talk to notice or care that Rebekah was glaring at her.

"We've decided to stay at Nik's mansion." Kol declared casually as he plopped himself on one of the many luxurious couches in the hotel suite. His statement finally caught his oldest brother's attention.

"What are you talking about?" Elijah snapped.

"He built it for all of us, Elijah." Rebekah chimed in.

"I was under the impression that all of us agreed we were leaving him." Elijah accused all of his siblings as he glared at them. His eyes paused longer on Finn than the rest. He didn't seem as on board with the plan as Rebekah and Kol. But he apparently wasn't against it enough to say anything.

"Although his actions aren't acceptable, his reason for doing so was always to protect us from father. He's gone now, Elijah. Why can't we just be a family again?" Rebekah said it in one of her begging voices, trying to hit her brother's soft spot. Hayley rolled her eyes at it. His family's interruption could not have come at a worst time. Not only was she confessing her forgiveness of Klaus to him, but now all of them were as well.

"He wishes to throw a ball to celebrate our reunion." Rebekah added quietly, perfectly able to see how annoyed Elijah was with their new feelings toward Klaus. She grabbed an envelope out of her purse and held it out for Elijah. He looked at it but didn't take it from his sister.

Hayley glanced at it to see that both his and her name was on it. She held out her hand, asking Rebekah for it. The original finally acknowledged her presence in the room. She glared at Hayley and hesitated before ultimately giving her the envelope. But as she handed it to Hayley, their hands just barely touched. Hayley was used to the feeling by now, but she caught the surprise and confusion on Rebekah's face. No one else caught their exchange. Hayley was sick of the mystery surrounding her and the originals. She had to ask Klaus what it was. Somehow she knew Elijah wasn't told the whole story.

"She will not be going." Elijah suddenly declared, gently taking the invitation from Hayley's hands. She opened her mouth to argue that she would do whatever she pleased. But before anyone could say otherwise, Elijah left the suite. Hayley took in a deep breath and shook her head before regarding his family.

"I don't understand either of my brother's fascination with you. But Klaus made it very clear he wants you to attend the ball." Rebekah sighed, already bored with the very conversation. "He asked me to take you shopping for a dress."

"Thanks, but I'd rather not be your forced charity case." Hayley said with a smirk and a tilt of her head before her face turned into a condescending glare. She shoved past her, walking right out the door to go find Elijah.

As the door slammed shut, Kol grinned at his sister. "You should be nicer to her Bekah. She _is_ the reason you were un-daggered." But Rebekah's only response was the rolled of her eyes and an annoyed groan.

* * *

It was the night of the ball and the whole town had practically been invited. Klaus let Rebekah plan most of the event. He knew she would be more than happy to plan such an event. And it was his indirect way of apologizing to her. He hadn't seen either Hayley or Elijah since he invited them. That was why he was so surprised to see Elijah show up on his own. His new haircut was neatly sleeked back with a part and his usual suit was replaced with a tuxedo and a black bowtie perfectly straight.

Klaus walked over to him as soon as he walked into the ballroom from a different entrance than all of the guests. "I must admit…I'm truly astonished that you even showed up, brother." He said with a smirk.

"I have spent so much of my immortality seeking revenge for my family that I found it difficult to reunite with them once again." Elijah stated smoothly. Then his eyes locked with Klaus', giving him a very hard and cold look. "I am offering you one last chance, Niklaus. But let it be understood that I have not forgiven you."

It took a great effort for Klaus not to lose his evil smirk at hearing such hurtful, yet honest words from his eldest brother. "So be it." He responded. Then he looked around. "May I ask where the exquisite Hayley is?" Elijah raised an eyebrow at his younger brother, not giving an answer. Klaus smiled even bigger. "I guess I shall assume you are unaware of her whereabouts." He offered.

"I did not want her attending." He replied emotionlessly. "She has not spoken to me all day and then disappeared with our dear sister."

"Well, it was my intention for her to be here. After all, she is part of the family now." Klaus said as his eyes scanned across the crowd gathering below. The mentioning of Hayley being part of the family caused Elijah's eyes to flicker to his brothers. But Klaus ignored the intense gaze. "Well, well, well." Klaus then said. His tone clearly showed that he had caught something interesting. He turned to Elijah. "Haven't you learned that she never does what other people tell her to?"

Elijah looked at his younger brother to see he was staring in awe at something in the balcony above the one they stood at. He followed Klaus' gaze and found what he was looking at. Rebekah entered from the shadows of the upstairs hallways. But what followed behind her was the thing that caught both of the original's attention. Hayley walked up to the railing in a strapless crimson ball gown. The bodice wrapped around her thin body in a simple way. As soon as it reached her waist, chiffon scattered down the dress with blood red lace detailing across the fabric. All of her hair was down but it had been curled, falling wondrously around her neck and shoulders.

Elijah was speechless as he took in her beauty. And as if she could sense their eyes on her, Hayley looked down at both of them. A shy smile fell on her lips. Rebekah watched her brother's reactions to Hayley with a satisfied smile. She took her shopping, but Hayley was the one that picked out the dress. Even though Rebekah refused to show it or even believe it, she warmed up to Hayley rather quickly. Her honesty and strong headedness actually made the two girls get along rather than dislike one another. Rebekah slowly started to understand why Elijah was in love with her and why Klaus saw her as a true friend.

Without breaking his gaze or saying a word to his brother, Elijah walked briskly up the stairs to Hayley. As Klaus heard his brother leave, he came out of his daze. While Elijah walked up the stairs, Rebekah gracefully went down to meet Klaus. The original vampire wore a dark green and sleek dress that only hung off one of her shoulders. It was obvious that Hayley outshined her.

"Lovely work, sister." Klaus commented as his eyes were still on Hayley.

Rebekah grabbed a glass of champagne as a waiter walked by with a tray. "It wasn't all my doing. By some miracle, she has good taste." She said trying to sound bored with the very idea of talking about her.

Klaus smirked darkly. "Just admit it, you've grown to like her."

"Perhaps. But I'm sure I will never like her as much as you do." She replied. Then her eyes watched him closely as he still stared down at his guests. "Nik…do you love her…as more than a friend?" She asked carefully, not really expecting him to answer.

The timing could not have been any more perfect. Just as she finished the question, Caroline Forbes walked into the mansion. She seemed unsure of herself and looked around, trying to find familiar faces. It appeared as if she would retreat at any moment. "No, dear sister, I fancy another." Klaus said softly, his eyes never leaving Caroline. He downed a glass of champagne before descending the stairs and making his way to Caroline on the main floor.

* * *

Elijah slowed his walk once he was on the same balcony as Hayley. She turned to him, unsure of his reaction to her. "Is this the part where you tell me to go home?" She asked him quietly once he was only a foot away. Finn, Rebekah, and Kol had all moved into Klaus' mansion, while Elijah and Hayley remained in the hotel. As of right now, home was their hotel.

"I believe it would be a horrible crime to hide you from the world." He replied confidently. It caused a small laugh to escape from Hayley. She would never stop being surprised by his timeless gentleman qualities. The sound made Elijah smile in return. Without even thinking, one of his fingers twisted in a strand of her hair.

"It was Rebekah." She informed him as she gestured down at her dress.

"No. It's you." He corrected. The smile on her lips disappeared from his serious tone. Before either of them could say anymore. Elijah glanced below to see his siblings gathering on the spiral staircase. Klaus looked up at them, showing that they were waiting for him. Elijah looked back at Hayley and offered her his arm. She took it with a shy smile and let him lead her to the rest of his family.

As soon as they were all together, a waiter gave the originals and Hayley each a glass of champagne. Elijah cleared his throat. At the sight of his family viewing the entire party, the guests slowly started to quiet. "Welcome. Thank you for joining us. You know, whenever my family has a gathering like this, it's tradition to commence the evening with a dance." As Elijah made his welcoming speech, Hayley glanced down at all the guests. She instantly recognized the Salvatores. "Tonight's dance is a century old waltz. So if all of you could find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom.

Everyone on the floor immediately started moving about, grabbing his or her partner. Hayley suddenly felt Elijah grab her hand. She instantly became frazzled. "Elijah, I don't know how to-"

"I will show you." He promptly interjected. Before she could argue anymore, he led her down the stairs to the dance floor. Once they were in their spot amongst the guests, Elijah positioned them correctly. Hayley laughed and shook her head at how ridiculous she felt. "You will be fine." He assured her, completely seeing how uncomfortable she was. Then, a second before the music started, he lower his lips to her ear. "Besides, no one will notice even the greatest misstep. They are all too mesmerized by how beautiful you look." He whispered just before he kissed her so quickly on the cheek that no one could even catch it.

The orchestra started playing and Hayley relaxed. Elijah guided her elegantly across the floor, leading perfectly. His eyes tore into hers as they danced across the floor. She couldn't help but feel like she was in some sort of a fairytale. It felt as if they were the only two in the room. She looked around to remind herself there were others around her. And that was when she saw Nik. Her eyes narrowed when she looked at the girl he was dancing with. Blonde and beautiful, Hayley was immediately curious as to who she was. Then she caught how Nik was looking at her.

"Elijah?" She asked quietly. He waited. "Who is your brother dancing with?"

It took a great effort for him to tear his eyes away from her to follow her gaze. "That would be Miss Caroline Forbes." Then he instantly looked back at Hayley. "She is one Elena's friends." He added. Hayley nodded. Over the last few days, he told her all that happened to him while he had been away. He wished to spare her the details, not seeing the point in telling her all the horrible things. But Hayley insisted. She was sick of always being the one in the dark. Now she knew of all the people in Mystic Falls. And tonight was when she could finally put faces to their names.

"He likes her." She stated in a whisper. Then she finally looked away and back at Elijah. He smirked at her observation and how confident she sounded.

"Don't panic." He said softly just before he spun her. But instead of spinning back into his grasp, she was in Klaus' hold.

"Hi." She greeted weakly. It was the first time they talked since she went to his mansion. He smiled down at her, guiding them just as well as his older brother.

"I must say you look rather stunning tonight." He pointed out suavely.

"Thanks." She mumbled, looking down, uncomfortable at the comment. "You like that girl…Caroline, is it?" Hayley asked him, averting the subject from her.

Klaus glanced at Caroline, who was dancing with Matt Donavan now. "Let's keep that between you and mean, shall we love?" He responded smoothly.

She laughed. "I'm not sure that's possible with the way you look at her." Then she saw Stefan Salvatore dancing with a petite girl with brown hair, curled and draped over one shoulder. Klaus caught where she was looking.

"The infamous doppelgänger." He informed her.

"Elena?" She whispered. The duplicate of the two other women Elijah once loved. Hayley couldn't help but rival herself to the girl.

"She's nothing in comparison." Klaus murmured in her ear. She quickly looked at him, surprised at how well he could read her mind. Before she could argue or even roll her eyes, he spun her in a circle. Hayley gasped slightly when she stopped in Stefan's arms. Her entire body tensed at just the sight of his face so close to hers.

It was all a part of the dance, but she couldn't deny how badly she wanted to leave the floor. For the first few seconds, there was absolute silence between them. But Stefan looked as if he was having some sort of inner turmoil.

"Hayley…I'm-I'm sorry for everything I did to you." He said awkwardly. It was hard expressing his emotions after he had completely turned them off for so long. He felt like he was teaching himself how to feel again. And guilt was the hardest to control.

Instead of responding, her jaw clenched and she glared up at him. Hayley couldn't take it any longer. She stopped dancing and took a step away from Stefan. "I want to get one thing straight. You might think that I'm like your precious Elena. But you're completely wrong. I'm not some fragile weakling. You had me at my weakest." She said all of this in a low hiss. Then Hayley took a step closer to Stefan. "Thanks to you and your brother, I'm a vampire now. So…if you try to use me against those I care about again, it won't be Elijah ripping out your heart. It will be me."

Before she could get any angrier, Hayley rushed away into the nearest doorway. She hid inside the room, her back pressed against the wall. Her chest rose and fell deeply from the rage she couldn't control. Why had any of them even been invited? She asked herself. Then a thought suddenly occurred to her. Klaus always had a reason for doing absolutely anything. And Hayley couldn't think of any reason for inviting Stefan that was positive. _He knows._ She thought. _He knows it was Stefan. _

"Hayley." A voice suddenly brought her out of her thoughts. It was Elijah. He had heard everything that occurred between her and Stefan.

"I'm fine. I'm okay. I just…snapped a little." She immediately told him, already knowing he was about to ask if she was all right. "Actually, I'm gonna go outside and get some fresh air."

"Would you like me to accompany you?" He asked cautiously.

"No. No, that's okay. You have guests to entertain. I should go alone." She brushed away his presence. But what she really wanted to do was find and accuse Nik of inviting Stefan here to kill him.

Hayley rushed upstairs once she didn't spot Klaus or Stefan anywhere. That's when she used her sensitive hearing. She heard someone struggling in a room nearby. It was nearly impossible to recognize the voice, but she followed it anyway. She burst into the room to see Damon on the floor with Kol over him, stake in hand and about to be buried into the young vampire's heart. Damon was struggling to hold Kol's forearm from making contact. His grip was shaking and it was clear he was struggling against the original vampire's strength.

Hayley didn't think twice about intervening. She shoved Kol off of him. "What the hell are you doing?" She asked him before turning to Damon. He was surprised when Hayley offered him her hand. Hesitantly, he grabbed it and stood up from the ground.

"I was itching to kill something." Kol said with his mischievous smile as he shrugged his shoulders. Then he took a step toward Damon. But she moved in between the two of them. "Get out of the way, Hayley."

"Nik told you to kill him, didn't he?" She said.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Kol replied. His eyes stayed on Damon.

"Leave him alone, Kol. I'm not going to let you kill him." Hayley raised her voice a little as she challenged the original. She knew he could kill her right there if he wanted. But for some reason, she also knew he wouldn't. Damon narrowed his eyes, wondering if Kol would listen to her or not. After what seemed like minutes, Kol finally left the room at vampire speed.

Hayley immediately let out a sigh of relief. Then she slowly turned to face Damon. He looked confused as to why she would risk her life to save his. "How did you know he was going to kill me?" He asked suspiciously.

"I didn't." She confessed. "I thought Nik was going to try and kill Stefan."

"Oh, no. That would be too simple. To get back at my brother, Klaus tries to kill anyone that he cares about. Elena is his walking blood bag, so she's out of the question. The only one left is me." Damon informed casually. "For being his so called friend, you don't know him very well, do you?"

Hayley glared at his judgment. "You and I know two different people, Damon." She wasn't waiting for him to thank her for saving his life. But they were both aware that she repaid him. They were even now. She gave him one last glance before walking out of the room.

* * *

Hayley's mind was spinning with so many thoughts as she walked down the hall. She wasn't even paying attention to the present. As she turned the corner, she completely ran into someone.

"Sorry." She muttered.

"Don't worry about it." A deep and husky voice responded lightly. Hayley looked up to see a handsome boy with blonde hair and bright blue eyes looking at her. She recognized him from dancing with Rebekah earlier. She believed his name was Matt.

Suddenly her senses took over. Hayley could hear his pulse beating and she could practically smell his blood. All it took was a look into his eyes. His composure completely relaxed, as if he was hypnotized. _No, no, no._ She thought in her head. _Stop it._ But he was already too deep under her siren hex. Hayley could feel the veins swarming under her eyes and the fangs extending from her gums. She couldn't control it any longer. Her hands grasped his shoulders as she ripped into his throat.

Time passed unknowingly. It was as if she blacked out. The next thing she knew, someone was ripping her off of Matt. But she fought them, trying to get back to her victim. The blood craving was stopping her from being sensible. Her eyes shot up to see that it was Damon who had ripped her off of the human boy. Elena now crouched at his side. "Matt! Matt!" She yelled at him. Her yelling caught the attention of others. Stefan, Caroline, and Bonnie now stood behind Damon, watching in horror.

But Hayley was completely oblivious to their appearance. Her hearing was too overwhelmed with a livelier pulse now. It was Elena. Her blood lust drove her toward the doppelgänger. But Damon was quick to stop her. He slammed Hayley to the floor. His hands were on both of her shoulders, pinning her still. She slowly started to come back. Before Damon could even look around for a stake to kill her with, he was thrown off of her. He looked up to see all the originals were now standing behind Hayley. It was Elijah who had ripped Damon away from her.

Hayley slowly stood up and looked down to see Matt was lifeless on the floor. Her hand flew to her mouth in shock. Had she killed him? "Oh my god." She whispered to herself. Caroline, quick to take action, kneeled at Matt's side. She had already bit into her wrist and forced her blood down his throat. Utterly disgusted with herself, Hayley fled the scene, brushing past all of the originals without looking up from the ground.

"Maybe you should keep a tighter leash on your pet." Damon said to Klaus.

"Why are you even still alive?" He countered quickly.

Elijah ignored their conversation, as he looked down at the young, human boy. Matt was healing already, the vampire blood performing its job. Elijah could hear his heartbeat slowly getting stronger and stronger. Thankfully, he would live. But if it hadn't been for Damon, Hayley would have surely killed him.

Without regarding any of them, Elijah left the hallway in search for her. He stopped at Klaus' bedroom door. It was left slightly open, but the lights were still off. He slowly pushed it open further. It was pitch black inside, except for the slit of light across the wood floor that came from the small opening of the bathroom. Elijah could hear the shower running and then slowly walked toward the sound. When he opened the door, he saw Hayley's gown strewn across the marble floor.

Elijah closed the door behind him before walking further into the bathroom. His eyes immediately found Hayley. She was inside the shower that was the size of a small room and enclosed only by glass. She sat in the middle, directly underneath the showerhead in only her black bra and underwear. Her arms were wrapped around her legs, hugging them to her chest. Her black make-up slightly smudged underneath her eyes from the water. Elijah could tell by the steam that the water was as hot as it could possibly go. Hayley didn't even notice him enter as she stared blankly. Even when Elijah slowly opened the glass door, she didn't see him.

"Hayley." He said softly to her, trying to get her attention. She looked up at him quickly in surprise, stunned that he snuck up on her. But she made no indication that she could move. Elijah looked at her sorrowfully. Then he slowly sat down beside her, his suit and shirt already becoming soaked from the scorching hot water.

"I could smell his blood on me." She whispered. "I had to take it off."

"Hayley, he is going to be fine." Elijah told her.

"I couldn't stop, Elijah. I couldn't stop the mesmerism…I couldn't stop drinking his blood." She practically shook at the thought. Elijah immediately wrapped his arms around her and she welcomed the comfort, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I will teach you how to control it." He finally said. She nodded her head.

A few minutes passed before Hayley said one more thing. "You said you'd never let anyone harm me." She started. " But I don't need you to protect me from anyone, Elijah. I need you to protect me from myself."

* * *

**So I tried to update ASAP after your responses. And I'm officially done with finals. So hopefully I can update again soon.**

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! pwetty pwease.**

**For the Hayley's dress...every time i try to post a link, it doesn't work. SOOOOOO if you put this (**_crimson strapless dress vera wang spring 2013_**) into google. The dress is there lol. **

** . **


	16. Part XVI

**Not so many reviews :(**

**Hmph. Oh well. A few of you requested some Klaroline. Which is basically the ONLY reason I'm still watching TVD. SO OF COURSE I WILL. lol.**

* * *

Klaus couldn't help but be annoyed with his countless failed attempts to impress or seduce Caroline. Before Hayley had attacked Matt, Klaus had confessed that he fancied Caroline. He knew instantly from her face that such a statement took her aback. Had no one ever told her such a thing before? _What fools,_ he thought. She was one of the most beautiful creatures he had ever laid eyes on. He'd been around for centuries, seen the most alluring women from every country, and been around the world. Yet, he stared at Caroline, barely a year old vampire, and he was captivated. Perhaps he'd seen women that were more beautiful. But she had something he had never beheld before. It was light. It was warmth. It was something Klaus lost long, long ago. Perhaps, he never possessed it to begin with.

Caroline didn't hold back as she continued to be brutally honest and shoot down all of his methods while Klaus showed her his art. He was exposing a very intimate part of himself. But the only person that would understand that would be Hayley. But he was beginning to realize that he could never capture her affections by showering her with gifts like he could with other women.

"You know, this has been a fun evening, with your friends trying to kill mine and me attempting to kill Damon. But I think it's time for you to leave." Klaus had finally given up on trying to impress her. Clearly, such meek ways would not affect her.

Caroline, completely unperturbed by his rudeness, narrowed her eyes. "I get it. Your father never loved you, so you assume no one else will either. And that's why you compel people or you sire them or you try to buy them off! But that's not how it works. You don't connect with people because you don't even try to understand them." She spluttered at him as she flung his expensive diamond bracelet off her wrist.

The only other person that had ever been so honest with him was Hayley. As Caroline tried to retreat from the room, Klaus instantly cut off her path. "On the contrary, love, I have proof that I _can_ connect with people." The words raced across his lips and his eyebrow rose, challenging her to argue otherwise.

"Who…Hayley?" She asked, trying to sound doubtful. "What, did Elijah forget to give her vervain so she couldn't be compelled into friendship with you? Anyways, from what I heard, she would never have become friends with you if you had told her who you really were." Caroline raised one of her eyebrows, mocking him.

Klaus' eyes skimmed across her expression. But he showed no anger as he observed her. "You see what you want to see, Caroline." He surprised her with speaking quite gently. "But one day, you will run out of excuses for hating and denying me." His confidence in telling her what she would do, caused her to make an annoyed sound before she brushed past him and left the room.

The moment Caroline was gone, Klaus let out a sigh. For one of the first times in his life, he was embarrassed. She stripped him of his pride as if it were nothing, read him like no one else had, and showed honesty unlike everyone else who feared it would be their death. It should have made him hate her, but it only made him wish to become closer to her even more than before. Klaus decided he would have to thank her for her honesty one day. Or perhaps sooner than later, he thought.

Most of the guests had left. But suddenly Klaus' vampire hearing caught something. Stefan's voice was heard, yelling his older brother's name. "What are you, crazy?" He asked him. Klaus immediately left the room to find the scene. A few seconds later, he met the rest of his family, Elena, and the Salvatores right outside the front door. Kol lay lifeless on the ground below Damon. Surely, his neck had been snapped.

"Maybe a little." Damon breathed heavily as he looked at all of them. "I had to get even for him trying to kill me earlier." He noted with an evil smirk as his eyes locked with Klaus'. The hybrid just narrowed his eyes, seeing the young vampire as only being foolish for starting such a game. But before anyone could so something, Damon slowly walked down the drive, leaving the party. Klaus watched in entertainment as Elena and Stefan left only a few minutes later. They practically fled, scared of what he would do to them. It was power that Klaus felt only he possessed.

Elijah sighed. "Finn, get Kol out of here before any of the guests can see." He instructed calmly. Finn didn't acknowledge the order, yet still grabbed his youngest brother at vampire speed and took him to his room.

Rebekah, who had watched Stefan and Elena leave until no longer possible, turned to glare at her eldest brother. "I cannot believe you stopped me from killing that wench. You and your bloody morals, Elijah." She was still bitter about him saving the doppelgänger's life the other night.

"If you had been successful…" Klaus intervened. "You would have a dagger in your heart and truly be lost to the sea." It was the last warning he would give to her about Elena. She was his key to the growing population of hybrids. And he would kill his own sister before she could ruin that. After their family had revived Rebekah behind his back, it left only one dagger left. Klaus made sure to retrieve it before any of his siblings could remember that it still existed.

"Will both of you stop acting like such children?" Elijah cut in, almost embarrassed at their immaturity. Then he glanced at his sister. With a single look, he instructed her to leave. He already defied her once; she didn't need it to happen again. With one last glare to both of her brothers, Rebekah walked back inside the mansion. Elijah turned his attention to Klaus now. "Clearly, you've left an impression on the residents of Mystic Falls." He commented darkly.

"Why thank you, brother." Klaus replied with a grin.

"It wasn't a compliment." Elijah countered curtly. "Is it not utterly obvious to you? Stefan Salvatore desires his revenge. And his brother hardly needs an excuse to try and kill you." But he could see his thoughts held no concern to Klaus. "You may not care about yourself, since you are under the impression that you are invincible." Elijah lowered his voice. "But the Salvatores will fight fire with fire." Finally Klaus' smirk disappeared and he looked at his older brother. "You should not be concerned about your safety, but those around you."

Klaus instantly knew what his brother was speaking of. Elijah was not talking about himself, or probably there family even. "Where is she?" He asked finally.

"She has yet to leave your room." Elijah's jaw then tightened. "I must clean up the rest of your mess. And say the last farewells to our guests." But he was actually allowing Klaus to have a chance to speak with Hayley if he wished.

Without another word, Klaus went up the stairs to his bedroom. He wondered why it was his room of them all that she had retreated to, not knowing that it belonged to him. He wished to speak to her about Caroline. Anyone he spoke to about it would instantly see him as a different person. His expression of emotions other than anger and supremacy would instantly brand him weak to his enemies. It was the last thing Klaus wanted. Hayley was the only one he was even capable of truly talking with. And he needed her help in trying to win Caroline over, despite that he hated admitting it.

But when Klaus quietly opened the door, he found Hayley asleep on his couch at the end of the bedroom. Her hair was still quite wet. But what caught his attention was one of his long sleeved shirts on her tall and angular body. The sleeves bunched at her wrists, proving to be far to long for a girl. Her long legs were hardly even covered by the shirt. She was beautiful; he always recognized that. It was the reason Klaus used to want her for himself. But soon he realized that was not the path for them. Thoughtlessly, Klaus grabbed a fur blanket and draped it over her body. Hayley was a vampire now, meaning she could never become cold. But seeing her like this, Klaus couldn't help but feel like she was still the human he had first met. Instantly, Hayley nestled into the blanket.

"How was she?" Elijah asked from the doorway, causing Klaus to whip around to look at him. "When I wasn't there and she believed I was dead, how was she?" Klaus turned away and stared back at Hayley's sleeping form. He didn't want to tell him. Not to spare his brother from the hurt, but because he didn't think he deserved to know. But Klaus understood he was on thin ice with Elijah. If he wanted to keep his friend and family, he had to fix what was broken with him and Elijah.

"Desolate." Klaus said softly as he looked down at her. "Before she believed you were dead, she just seemed to forever be waiting for someone…or I should say you. But she was always good at hiding it. I probably wouldn't have even noticed if I hadn't already known about your relationship with her." Then Klaus finally looked his brother in the eyes. "When she thought you were dead, it was like she'd given up. Her smile had practically disappeared. She looked like she hadn't slept in weeks."

Elijah looked intensely at his brother with his arms crossed. Although Klaus didn't say it, they both knew that he had stopped her from completely falling over the edge. "If you are expecting me to thank you for being there, you are a fool." Elijah stated darkly. "If it hadn't been for you, none of it would have happened."

Klaus smiled and shook his head at him. "You can stay in here for the night. I have plenty of other rooms I can use." But somehow he still made it sound smug instead of considerate. And he walked out of his bedroom before uttering another word at Elijah or glancing at Hayley.

* * *

Hayley was slammed to the ground. The impact didn't hurt, but it was enough to get the point across. Elijah had won, pinning her to the forest floor once again. She was beginning to become frustrated with her failed attempts. But she was getting even more frustrated with why he was so set on teaching her to fight.

"Again." Elijah indicated firmly. They were deep within the forest, a small layer of fog floating around them. Hayley sighed and got up from the ground. She stood a yard or two away from him, standing ready. Without giving any cue, Elijah shot forward. She just barely dodged him before he was in front of her again. In a rush, she shot her fist at him but he caught it effortlessly. As she attempted to rip her limb out of his grasp, Elijah already spun her around so her back was pressed against his chest while he still held onto her arm. Hayley knew her time was coming to a close. In a final and desperate attempt to win, she tried to flip him over her shoulder, using his hold on her arm to an advantage. But Elijah spun her around so she was crushed against his chest, staring into his eyes. "You're dead." He confirmed again, taking a step away.

Hayley had finally had enough. They had been at this for over an hour. And she felt as if she had only lost confidence in her abilities rather than improved them. "Can you tell me what the hell is going on already?" She snapped.

"I am teaching you how to defend yourself." Without even look at her, he replied roughly, as if it was completely obvious. Then he went back to their starting stance, showing that it was all he had to say on the matter.

"Elijah…" Hayley said it so quietly and her tone was filled with such concern that he couldn't help but look up at her. "Will you please just tell me what's going on?"

When she asked like that, he was completely helpless. He took all of her in for a moment before finally inhaling a deep breath. "Everyone in this town is seeking revenge on Niklaus." Elijah started dismally. "And quite frankly, they no longer have the highest regard for me either." Then he slowly closed the space between them. "The people around my family always end up paying for our mistakes instead of ourselves. When they can't hurt us, they hurt the ones we care about that they can."

Hayley suddenly felt bad for snapping at him. She understood what this was all about now. Taking a step closer, a small smile slowly firmed. It was her attempt to get him to relax just a little. Her hands draped around his neck. "Well, I don't think having a 2 week old vampire fighting against an original is exactly a fair fight." She pointed out. "You're practically setting me up for failure." Hayley started to see a grin forming on his lips. She tilted her head up and her eyes flickered down at his lips before she leaned further in. But just before their lips touched, she flew away. The next second, she was back but with a stick, mocking a stake, in her hand. She pressed it ever so lightly over Elijah's chest. "I just killed you." Hayley whispered in his ear. It was immediately followed by a light laugh.

Elijah stepped back, his face filled with entertainment now. "I found my enemy's weakness…and I used it to my advantage. Just like you told me." Hayley explained with a mischievous smile. He smirked at her success and wrapped his hands tightly around her waist. But she wasn't satisfied quite yet. She bound her foot behind his leg and used his closeness to her benefit, pushing him back and causing them both to fall to the ground. But Hayley officially had the upper hand now, with her on top of him and her knees on either side of his waist.

Her lips pressed against the side of his neck. "Got you again." She said and then pulled away with an eyebrow raised at him. Her hands were spread on his chest, practically able to feel the muscles stretched across. She started to make an effort to get up, but Elijah held her to him. He was now prepared for any more of her tricks. But mostly he just wanted to keep her close to him.

"See…I'm not a complete lost cause." Hayley defended.

Elijah shook his head. As she leaned over him, all of her blonde-red hair fell over just one shoulder. He slowly placed some of it behind her ear to uncover part of her face. "You are quite the opposite." He assured her. It wasn't until then that he realized how much he wasn't helping by being so stern with her earlier. Even though he was more than aware of how strong she was, he couldn't help but still be overprotective and worry about her life.

"I overheard what you said to Stefan Salvatore at the ball." He saw her eyes flicker at the subject. "I believe a certain threat was made about you ripping out his heart instead of myself." He raised an eyebrow, daring her to try and lie.

"I just wanted to make it clear that I'm not someone to take advantage of. I see the way they look at me… like I'm completely helpless." Hayley's eyes stared off into the distance as she became more irritated by the thought. Then she stared back at Elijah. "I don't want to become some damsel in distress. I can take care of myself." Then she smiled mischievously. "And I love proving people wrong." Then she kissed Elijah quickly before he could voice any more of his concerns for her safety.

"And _I _enjoy seeing you prove them wrong." A voice said a few yards away. Hayley quickly stood up to see Klaus was the one to interrupt them. As soon as she turned her body toward him, she noticed he had a hunting crossbow in his grasp. He shot it at her almost at the exact moment she stood up. Hayley barely turned her body as she caught the arrow right in the middle of the shaft with her hand. She was about to accuse him of being insane, but then saw that the neon arrow was made out of plastic, not wood. An idea came to her as quickly as she was able to catch the weapon. Hayley flung the arrow back at him, fully mindful that Klaus would be able to catch it even easier than herself. But as he was preoccupied with seizing the threat, she had picked up that makeshift stake again and sped toward him. Klaus caught the arrow effortlessly and looked rather satisfied with himself until Hayley was barely centimeters away from his face, with a branch hovering over her heart. She had distracted him with one weapon only to complete the kill with another.

"Well, look at you." Klaus said with a tilt to his head. Hayley smiled with pride from her success. While Elijah constantly worried about her safety, Klaus pushed her to become the next level of herself.

"I would have been more satisfied if she actually went through with it." Elijah said a few feet from them, breaking them out of their friendly trice.

Klaus glared over Hayley's shoulder at him. "Yes… Well, we all know it wouldn't kill me nonetheless. So your fun would have been spoiled before it even started, brother." Their relationship was still in a dark place. Hayley was starting to wonder if Elijah would ever forgive Klaus. But then she had to stop and ask herself if she truly had herself.

"What are you doing here?" Elijah asked. All amusement and fun seem to disappear from the hybrid's eyes. But he didn't look at his brother as he remembered why he had interrupted them in the first place. Instead, he looked at Hayley in almost sympathy. It was so strange for Elijah to see such emotion displayed on his younger brother's face. But then he hid it just as soon as it appeared.

"Kol informed me of your whereabouts. He was pouting that did not get an invitation on vampire fighting 101." Klaus said lightly. But then his thoughts changed, along with his tone and posture. "You've been reported missing." He said to her. Then his hand reached into the back pocket of his jeans. He handed Hayley his cell phone that was already opened to the local, Chicago, news article explaining her disappearance. Her eyes raced across the text. Then she turned around to face Elijah, completely unable to find the words.

"Two weeks." She started in absolute disgust. "It took my parents two weeks to even notice I was missing." Hayley shook her head in shock at the very idea. Without looking at Klaus, she handed him back his phone and walked deeper into the woods not saying a word to either of the originals.

Elijah decided to give her a moment. Hayley ran from her problems. She was always running. Whether it was literal or figurative, she could never face her troubles immediately. She had to exhaust herself emotionally and physically before she could admit that she couldn't ignore or deny it any longer.

"She must fake her own death, you do know that." Klaus said to him.

"Show some compassion, Niklaus. With everything that has happened to her, the last thing she wants to do is completely detach herself from her entire human life." Elijah said coarsely before he started walking toward the direction Hayley went.

"It's not as if her parents would even care! They completely abandoned and disregarded her!" Klaus snapped, stopping Elijah and grabbing his full attention. Klaus took a step forward, his voice filled with anger and irritation. "They are not even worthy of her. I would be doing Hayley a favor, keeping them out of her new life."

Elijah's eyes narrowed and his head tilted a little as he looked at Klaus. "_You _would be doing her a favor?" He challenged. "It's not your choice to make, Niklaus." His words were filled with warning.

"I understand the situation better than you ever could." Klaus countered with his face menacing in a way that any other person would cower from. But Elijah wasn't scared of his brother; he never was and never would be.

"Stop trying to appear as if you understand her more than I ever could." Elijah practically whispered in anger. "You may have been there for her when I was not. But I was with her far before you even knew of her existence. While you two may relate to one another on the matter, I was there, watching over her, from the beginning. So stop attempting to convince me that you know what is best for her."

Klaus stood in silence and anger as he watched his brother go after Hayley. Perhaps he wanted to punish Hayley's parents because he could never truly get back at his own. Yes, he killed Mikael. But it wasn't enough. His father deserved much worse after all the damaged he'd caused Klaus. That's what him realize that Elijah was right. His brother had morals, control, and understanding, even when he tried to conceal it. And at the end of the day, Elijah _would_ know what was best for Hayley. Because what he thought was best for Hayley was what she decided. Klaus could never give so much power to anyone but himself.

Hayley was sitting at the top of a small hill, overlooking Mystic Falls' cemetery. She never meant to end up here. It just kind of showed up as she was walking away from Elijah and Klaus. The location was ominously ironic. She started to realize it was unfair to always leave when things got tough. But she also hated showing her emotion in front of others, even if it was two of the people she cared about the most. But Hayley wasn't surprised either when she heard Elijah moving toward her. He always found her, always knew that she ran from anything and everything.

"I can't go back there, Elijah." Hayley confirmed quietly as he sat next to her.

"There are other options." He reassured her.

Then she finally looked at him. "Yeah…but I'll have to leave them eventually. I'm not talking about my parents. But my friends…my sister…sooner or later I'll have to tell them what I am or compel them to forget me. At least this way, I won't put them in danger or watch them slowly die while I stay exactly the same." Hayley ran her hands through her hair. "It's just my poor sister…I know she'll blame herself."

Klaus suddenly came out of the woods. He watched them from a safe distance, leaning against a tall tree. "I can't go back to Chicago." He heard Hayley say. "After a while, the police will have no choice but to accept that I'm dead and then everyone will forget about me. It will be easier for everyone."

"Easier for everyone but you." Elijah reasoned.

Hayley turned to him again. She slowly grabbed his hand tightly into her own and gave him a sad smile. "I have a new family now." But it was true. She was practically part of the original family now. Even the habitants of Mystic Falls saw her as one of them. It was the reason her life had been taken in the first place. And Hayley felt like she belonged. Her real family wasn't ever really her family. Her sister loved her, but her parents never did. Perhaps that was why she could accept the originals for everything they were. Because, despite all the horrible things they had done, Klaus and Elijah truly loved her. And after being without that for so long, Hayley was able to look past their sins and see the good inside all of them.

Yes, it was time to leave her human life behind. She didn't belong there anymore. This was a new beginning, a second chance.

* * *

**Tell me your thoughts! Please, please, please review. Its 4 am...why am I up? **


	17. Part XVII

**I wanted to thank a GUEST for their ridiculously awesome review. It was like a novel and it literally made my day. Those are my favorite to read. :)**

* * *

Elijah really didn't have to carry many things. Between him and Hayley, there were only two pieces of luggage. The only belongings Hayley had were the few things Elijah was able to buy her while she was transitioning between human death and vampire awakening. H remembered finding her in clothes, that he could tell were not her own, and seeing how they were covered in her blood. Elijah silently walked toward the front entrance of Klaus' mansion. But Hayley stopped him; gently place her hand around his forearm.

"We don't have to stay here." She told him softly. But Elijah shook his head. They had already discussed this. With Hayley officially declared missing, staying at a hotel where guests from around the country came and went was not the best idea. The news was only locally broadcasted, which really didn't put her in danger of blowing her cover. But Klaus was the one who suggested they finally joined the rest of them at his mansion.

Hayley agreed to it after considering the idea with Elijah privately. Although she decided it would be easier to keep her cover while staying there, she had an ulterior motive. Hayley wanted Elijah to truly reunify with his family. She knew, of all people, how much he missed them when he had believed them to be dead. And now, because of Klaus, he felt he had to put up a front. He was being stubborn, something Elijah rarely displayed. But Hayley was more stubborn. And she wouldn't give up until they were back to how they used to be.

"We all know it's for the best." Elijah finally said as he continued walking toward the front door. As soon as they stepped inside, they were met with Kol.

"Hey." Hayley smiled at him politely. She liked the youngest Mikaelson brother, even though it was clear he got on Elijah's nerves. Kol was like a child. Only, instead of throwing a tantrum when something upset him, he went on a murderous rampage. Elijah had made a comment in passing at how well Hayley dealt with his brother's unpredictability.

"There's our girl. Would you like to join me on a little hunt? I overheard that some prissy teenager is have quite a party tonight. This town practically begs me to murder them." Kol said, completely ignoring his brother's presence.

"Hayley is not here to be your plaything, Kol." Elijah said evenly.

"We should get you a dog…" Hayley was quick to stand up for herself. "But I'm honestly not sure you are capable of such responsibility. And who knows, you would probably eat it anyway." She countered friskily. Elijah smiled at her discreet insult.

Before Kol was able to put another word in, Klaus came down the stairs. Although he hid it well, he felt a step forward had been taken now that Elijah and Hayley had agreed to live with their family.

"Shall I show you to your room?" Klaus said. Instead of sounding excited or honored by his new guests, he was overly smug. Elijah took in a deep breath. He had promised Hayley he would stay open minded when it came to Niklaus. She completely read his annoyed expression. Quickly, she kissed him on the cheek and then went to Klaus' side. With his haughty expression, he led both of them up the stairs. He guided them through all the hallways; taking so many turns that Hayley wasn't sure she'd find her way back.

Eventually Klaus opened double French doors that had intricate carvings and gold detailing on them. Hayley glanced around the giant room in awe while Elijah placed their luggage neatly in the giant closet. It was nothing he hadn't seen before. Then Klaus stepped close to Hayley, his hands politely behind his back.

"I have something else I wish to show you." He whispered so quietly that even Elijah couldn't hear him with his vampire hearing. Hayley looked confused but slowly nodded her head and followed Klaus out of the room. Once again, she trailed him through the halls of the mansion. The entire place was exquisitely decorated. But it really wasn't a surprise for the oldest vampires to have such lavish things constantly surrounding them.

"Nik…have you ever heard the phrase 'the best things in life are free' or perhaps, 'less is more'?" Hayley asked him with a smile as she stared straight ahead.

Klaus knew the meaning behind her question. "Yes, actually I have. But I never really agreed with it." He said haughtily and was able to see Hayley shake her head at him. She really didn't need to say anything. Klaus already knew she wasn't impressed with him or the rest of his family's money. He eventually led her downstairs to the corner of the mansion, stopping at a closed door. Before he opened it, Klaus gave Hayley a shy smile.

When they stepped inside Hayley immediately recognized dozens of famous paintings that almost anyone who knows anything about art would identify as stolen. For a second, that was all she was able to comprehend. "Nik! Are you serious right now? You stole Van Gogh's and Rembrandt's paintings!"

Klaus rolled his eyes at her dramatics. "Hayley, I didn't show you the room for you to yell at me about stolen artwork. You know if you could, you would." Then a wicked smirk spread on his lips. "Which you can now."

Then Hayley moved around the room and saw that there was other artwork there. Sketches were spread across a table, finished canvases piled in a corner, and an incomplete painting sat on an easel in the middle of the room. She stopped walking when she saw a few drawings of the same person sitting on top of one another. Hayley instantly recognized the girl as Caroline Forbes. That was when she knew that Klaus didn't just fancy her. It wasn't a short-term crush; it was much deeper than that. Hayley didn't act like she saw the drawings. She simply turned and looked at him, waiting for an explanation.

"I built this for us." Klaus said. "You can use whatever you wish."

Hayley's smile slowly disappeared when she recognized his serious tone. Then her thoughts started remembering other things that triggered a theory that was slowing beginning to form. "Stop it." She said so quick and low, it sounded unlike herself. Klaus' only response was the tilt of his head and the narrowing of his eyes. "Don't play dumb, Nik. I know what you're doing." She continued.

"I don't have any idea what you're talking about." Klaus lied.

Hayley glared at his pretend obliviousness. "Do I really have to say it?" She stepped closer and crossed her arms. "Stop rubbing our friendship in his face." Klaus opened his mouth to protest but Hayley cut him off. "I'm not done. You're not allowed to be mad at him back. Stop using me against him because you can't admit that it's your fault!"

Klaus wanted to stop her before she completely exploded. "Hayley…"

"Are you trying to push it to some ultimatum?" She accused him. "Well…let me just tell you how it would end. I'll pick him. I love both of you, Nik. But it will always be him…because Elijah doesn't kill my friends or threaten to kidnap me. So don't do it. Don't make it so I'll have to choose between you two. I don't ever want to hurt you."

Klaus looked more livid than Hayley had ever seen before. And for the first time, she wasn't sure of how safe she was in his presence. She knew if she said any more, it could become dangerous. So Hayley practically stumbled out of the room, worried that even a wrong movement would set him off. And it was the first time she ever saw him like everyone else in Mystic Falls did.

Maybe she was being dramatic or too harsh. But Hayley could perfectly see what Klaus was trying to do. He dangled their friendship in front of his brother, taunting him with it. Maybe he just didn't like seeing that she loved Elijah more than him, even though he knew it all along. Perhaps he just wasn't prepared to see it in person and read it so well. But Hayley couldn't hurt Elijah anymore. She was already pushing him with everything else. She wouldn't let Klaus make it any harder. So she stopped it before it could get any worse.

Hayley took her time back to the bedroom, guessing that Elijah was still there. She really hoped that he hadn't heard anything she said to Klaus downstairs. But as soon as she opened the door and her eyes met his, she knew that he had. He pretended he didn't, trying to make her feel as if she had even the smallest amount of privacy.

"Can we get out of here?" Hayley asked him after she couldn't think of anything else to say, knowing that he had heard everything. He gave her an encouraging smile and nodded. "I need a drink." She practically whispered. Then she saw Elijah tilt his head and realized he was questioning what kind. "Alcoholic." She added, grabbing her leather jacket.

"I don't know how you expect to attain it. I refuse to supply your under aged delinquencies." Elijah said it so seriously, that Hayley actually had to watch him for a moment. But then a whisper of a smirk appeared on his lips. She shook her head, disappointed in herself for almost falling for it.

"When did you get a sense of humor?" She mocked him.

He playfully glared and took a step toward her, making her tilt her head back slightly to look up at him. "I believe when you started speaking such wise remarks and became so impudent." Elijah refuted.

Hayley laughed at their little game they'd started. "Oh, Elijah…you and your fancy ways of calling me a smart ass." She said through a beaming smile. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she could immediately feel his hands clutch her lower back. She kissed him and felt like no matter how often she did, it would never be enough. "So are you going to take me out to buy a drink or what?" Hayley asked him. And that was when both of them realized they had never really been on a date. Such an idea seemed strange to her. What would people think if they saw her in such a romantic scenario with Elijah? Not that she really cared what others thought of her, but she simply wondered if people would recognize how they came from such different places, eras even.

"I shall." Elijah replied simply. "But this will not be considered a date." He added casually just before clutching her hand in his own and beginning to lead her out of the room.

Such a comment caught Hayley off guard. "And why not?" She asked him, honestly confused on what he meant by it.

Elijah then let go of her hand so he could face her. Oddly enough, he was baffled by her confusion. "Because when I take you out on a date, it will never be at a small town's local bar. It shall be at a café in Paris, on coast of the Scottish Highlands, or in the mountains of Austria." He explained to her as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Elijah wasn't trying to impress her in the way Klaus tried to do with Caroline. He just looked at her and knew she was meant for grander things.

His answer had Hayley speechless for a second. Somehow she forgot how anything was possible with him. She blinked a few times, finally putting together what she wanted to say. "But I don't need any of that." Hayley told him bluntly. "I just want you."

Like always, a piece of hair escaped the hold of her ear. Elijah slowly moved it from her face without even thinking. "I thought you might say such a thing. But that still does not mean you deserve anything less in the world than the greatest."

Hayley had to break eye contact. She felt like the entire world was staring back at her in Elijah's gaze. A nervous laugh escaped, trying to show that she didn't buy what he was saying even though she was starting to. "Well…how about we start with the small town bar? I promise I won't consider it a date." She said through an unsure smile. Elijah nodded his head and just thought that one day he would show her and she would truly understand what she meant to him. But until then, he would be more than willing to take this.

At The Grill, Elijah and Hayley sat in a dark corner of the bar. But somehow it made them stick out even more. Some of Elena's friends that recognized Elijah thought it strange to see the refined original at their local hangout. But he ignored anyone in the vicinity. He was too preoccupied with Hayley.

She seemed to be on a mission to know every single detail of his life. The subjects they spoke of may have seemed strangely ordinary or simple to anyone listening in on them. But somewhere at the beginning of their conversation, Hayley realized they hadn't talked like this since she was a child and she thought Elijah was her guardian angel, always walking her home. When he finally came back, when she had almost forgotten about him, they never had time for such things anymore. Something bigger was always stopping them from talking about such little treasures. There lives were too busy with survival, revenge, and pining.

"You've seen so many things that I can only read about it books." Hayley practically whispered in awe. Elijah had just told her about being in Italy during the Roman Empire's infamous decline. He never really liked talking about the history he witnessed, feeling as though it was somewhat pretentious and trying. But she was asking him about his life. "So…" Hayley brought him out of his thoughts. He grinned at how intrigued and enthusiastic she was about hearing his stories. "What was your favorite?"

For any vampire, it seemed like an impossible question. But Elijah knew the answer instantly. Right away, he wanted to say, _"Now. Right now, here with you."_ But something stopped him. Probably because he knew she would never expect him to say that was his answer. But it was the truth. What was the point in witnessing all of those historical moments, falling empires and rising governments, if whom he was always meant to be with was not as his side to see it too?

Just as Hayley was about to say she was asking for too much with such a question, her eyes fell on someone. It was the bus boy at The Grill. He had been moving around the restaurant all night, picking up dirty dishes into the plastic basin he was holding. But she hadn't noticed him until now. His name was remembered straightaway. Matt: the boy she almost killed. It wasn't until now that Hayley realized he reminded her of someone. His blonde hair, blue eyes, and boy-next-door demeanor reminded her of Luke.

Elijah read the quick changes of emotion as she stared at the boy he recognized as one of Elena's friends. A past boyfriend, if he was correct. After a moment, Hayley finally realized that Elijah had caught what she was staring at. She looked back at Matt and saw that he was walking back toward the kitchen.

Hayley quickly stood up from her seat. "I'll be right back."

But Elijah blocked her path just as quickly. "Are you certain that is a good idea?" He asked, but he was really telling her that it wasn't. "We have yet to figure out your siren situation." She wasn't even looking at him. Her eyes were locked on Matt; afraid she would lose him somehow. Elijah sighed. "I'll come with." He offered, fully aware of what she wanted to do.

Hayley finally looked at him. "No. I umm…I want to talk to him alone. If something happens, then you can intervene. Just…stay here." She said, placing a hand reassuringly on his bicep. It took him a moment before he nodded in agreement.

Matt started walking from the kitchen to the empty backroom. He opened the door and walked over to the metal rack to get clean silverware. But when he turned around, he jumped at the sight of Hayley.

"I'm sorry!" She instantly apologized. "I didn't mean to scare you." Then she saw his eyes start to glaze over and his heartbeat slowed down oddly. _No, no, no. _She immediately cursed in her head. How could the siren seductions have such a life of their own? Hayley closed her eyes and took in deep breaths. _Control it. You can stop it._ She tried to encourage herself. Then her hearing caught Elijah closing in on the door. Her eyes snapped open from the thought of losing power and needing Elijah to rip her off of Matt. "I'm not going to hurt you." She almost shouted. It was more to reassure herself than him. And by some miracle, the mesmerism stopped. Matt looked at her weirdly, proving to Hayley that he was completely unaware of the effect her extra vampire powers just had on him.

"I just wanted to catch you while you were alone." She told him awkwardly. "I'm sorry for what I did at the ball." Her voice could not have been anymore sincere. She didn't want to kill anyone, especially someone who so comparable to Luke. But Matt's face remained cold. He honestly didn't know anything about her. Only that she was a part of the originals. And he disliked most of them, if not hated. "I'm having a hard time with controlling…it." Hayley added, seeing how her apology wasn't changing how he looked at her. "And I just needed you to know that I would never intentionally hurt you… or anyone. It was an accident. So…I'm sorry."

It took a moment for Matt's body to finally relax a little. He finally understood that she was genuinely sorry. "It's okay." He said softly. It surprised her. "I should understand, being friends Caroline who had trouble at the beginning too." He gave her the smallest smile and shoved his hands into his front jean pockets. "Well…I kind of have to get back to work." He told her somewhat awkwardly. She nodded and stepped away so she was no longer blocking his path to the door.

Hayley let out a huge breath that she didn't realized she was holding. And Elijah was now leaning in the doorway, his hands in his pockets. She slowly turned to face him, already sensing he was there. His expression was calm as she gave him a small and despondent smile. "I stopped it." Hayley said quietly to him as her shoulders shrugged a little. "Why do I have this?" She whispered to him after a moment of silence.

Elijah heard the depressed hysterics in her tone that she tried so hard to conceal. He quickly walked over to her and wrapped his arms tightly around her. Hayley breathed as if she had been underwater for hours. Her body completely relaxed in his grasp. She started to wonder how she had ever survived those long periods without Elijah. Just his mere touch cleared all of the horrifying things that ate away at her mind.

"You will get through this." He whispered, still holding onto her.

"You don't know that." She spoke into his chest.

Then Elijah pulled away. His hands were gently placed on either side of this face. "Because you are the strongest woman I have ever met in my entire existence. I believe you can get through anything. And I shall be here to help you the entire way." Hayley laughed sadly at him, not agreeing with his praise. She grabbed one of his hands from her face and kissed the palm before intertwining their fingers. She'd tested her control enough for one evening. Now Hayley just wanted to go home. And she was still figuring out where that was. But she was sure that wherever it ended up being, Elijah would be there too.

* * *

Elijah started walking toward the stairs, heading toward their bedroom. He didn't know where any of his siblings were and as of right now, he didn't care. But Hayley looked down a long hallway where she knew Klaus' art room was. The hall was completely black except for the slit of light coming from inside. She then turned her attention to Elijah, who was waiting patiently for her at the bottom of the stairs.

"I'll be up in a second." She promised. His only response was a heavy sigh before he ascended the stairs without her.

Hayley walked into the room and was only able to see Klaus' profile. He was drawing on a piece of paper, completely ignoring her very presence. "Hi." She finally said quietly. But he didn't even look her way. Hayley shook her head at his immaturity. Perhaps she'd been too harsh. But they both knew everything she said was true. And there was no justification for him being mad at her.

Elijah had rescued Hayley from her desolate mood. She wasn't going to let Klaus ruin it with his inconceivable inability to admit his mistakes. He was the worst at forgiving, and even worse at asking for forgiveness. So she left without even really trying to get him to speak with her. Her jaw clenched in annoyance as she quickly left the room and went upstairs to the bedroom.

Hayley opened the door and collapsed onto the giant bed from mental and emotional exhaustion. She glanced up to see Elijah looking out the window with a wine glass in his hand. But she could easily smell that there was something else in it. "I know you heard what I said earlier." She said softly as she laid on her side, looking at him.

He glanced away from the window to gaze at Hayley. The moon shining in made her skin almost glow silver, while in the daylight he swore it was gold. Her eyes, they were so compelling that he understood how a human man could melt so easily with a mere look from them.

"Why does he have to use me against you?" She whispered.

Elijah walked toward the bed, stopping to set his glass of blood on the nightstand. He sat down close to her, his back propped against the golden and lavish headboard. "When you ponder it, his behavior really is not so unusual." He said after a moment's thought. Hayley's eyes narrowed in slight confusion. She moved closer to him and laid her head on his chest. Elijah wrapped his arm around her. His hand slid under the hem of her shirt and traced patterns across her back. He understood that he had to elaborate.

"For reasons I have yet to discover, my love is never my own. Niklaus always becomes a part of it in some way. We fought over Tatia's love. He had every intention of killing Katarina. But I've already told you how that concluded. Which, when I think about it, I actually should thank him for." Elijah tried to lighten the mood, but he didn't fool Hayley. Then he slowly glimpsed down at her. She looked sad at the thought of Klaus ruining Elijah's desperate chances for love. "He hates to see me amidst love when he cannot have it himself. '_Love_ is a vampire's greatest weakness. And we are not weak. We do not feel and we do not care.' That is what my brother said to me when I tried to spare Katarina's life."

Hayley sighed. And Elijah couldn't understand how he could fall in love with just the simple sound of someone's breathing. "Well, it makes sense, doesn't it?" She offered. Then she turned, balancing her chin on her knuckles as she looked up at him. "Nik thought no one could love him. The very idea of that being true scares him. So…when he sees that you might have found it when he never could…it drives him crazy."

"I hate that you see the best in him. He doesn't deserve it." Elijah noted darkly.

Hayley laughed at that. "Where would I be if I only looked for the worst in all of you?" Then she had the sudden urge to kiss him and welcomed herself to the yearning. As their lips connected, she felt Elijah delicately trace the smooth skin behind her ear. Hayley pulled away with a beaming smile. "Let's see. If I looked for the worst in you…" She said mockingly. "You know there's nothing." Her tone instantly went serious.

"You're not very good at this." Elijah laughed. He knew plenty of things that made him a monster. He killed when it met his needs and rarely felt guilt due to the fact that he could always justify it somehow. Or how he would always find gaps in the deals he made with others. But Hayley refused to agree with his outlook on himself.

"Well… if it's so easy, you try!" She exclaimed. Her eyes narrowed overdramatically. "Find the worst in me." She challenged him with an eyebrow raised.

"Simple." Elijah affirmed before he started. "You're stubborn." He kissed her lips. "You refuse to ever show how you truly feel." Her cheek. "You're always satirical." Her knuckles. "You remain unenthused by my possible vacations and gifts." Her palm. "But those are also the reasons I love you." Then his lips found hers again. A few seconds later, she pulled away slightly and his mouth filled with her laughter.

Hayley moved so she now kneeled over him, her knees on either side of his waist. She deepened their kiss. Elijah suddenly was annoyed with the amount of clothing each of them was wearing. Klaus was the only sibling lingering in the house. And Elijah could care less if his brother overheard the dozens of things he wanted to do to Hayley. She made him senseless. He had immaculate control over everything: his thirst, his anger, and his intelligence. But when it came to her, she completely shattered it. Hayley basically ripped the t-shirt off her back from her impatience. Then his hands traced down her sides, causing her to practically shiver. This was just another way Elijah could push their problems into the backs of both their minds.

* * *

**Blehhh. I think I have officially fucked up my sleeping patterns. OH WELL. **

**Review? Please? It makes me happy :/**


	18. Part XVIII

"Come on, Nik. If I spend another day in this mansion, I will surely die." Kol said overdramatically.

Hayley's eyes snapped open. She was still unused to her sensitive vampire hearing. It still had the ability to bring her out of the deepest slumbers. Her head rested on Elijah's bare chest and her palm was spread on his formed abs. He was still sleeping soundly as she listened to the conversation between his brothers.

"Kol, you haven't spent any time in the mansion. You've been out every day either coaxing some woman or draining them." Klaus responded. Hayley smirked slightly at how easily she could tell that he was irritated with Kol. "In fact, a day in would be good for you. I'm already tired of sending my hybrids to clean up after you." He added darkly.

There was a beat of silence. "Don't you want some quality bonding time with your favorite brother?" Kol said, trying to play the endearing card. "After all, we have missed some time together after you left a dagger in my heart for almost a century." Hayley's smile disappeared then. She could practically see what Klaus' face looked like after receiving such a comment from his little brother.

"Fine." Klaus gave in after a moment of awkward stillness.

The front door opened and closed. And that was the end of the conversation.

Hayley knew they must have gone to the Grill. It was the only place to go in this small town. She glanced up at Elijah who was miraculously still asleep. He was usually always the one to wake up first. A sweet smile was on her pink lips as she watched him sleep for a few seconds. Then she kissed him on the shoulder and scurried out of bed to get dressed. She practically skipped around the room as she grabbed what little clothes she had and threw them on.

* * *

Kol and Klaus grabbed a table. The younger original scanned the entire area, looking for his next prey. His eyes fell on Caroline Forbes. He discretely pointed her out to Klaus. "I remember her from the ball. She looks like a taste." He cooed.

Klaus sat up straight as he looked at the blonde too. "Say another word and I'll rip out your liver." He threatened calmly but was completely serious.

"Ah, touchy, are we?" Kol laughed. "And what about Hayley?"

"What about her?" Klaus said without taking his eyes off Caroline.

"Oh please, Nik. You don't honestly expect me to believe you see her as a friend." His statement earned him a deathly glare from Klaus. "I mean… one is not simply friends with a beautiful woman that possesses legs like hers and eyes that literally mesmerize mortal men." Kol's eyes zoned out just to add affect for his brother. "Just think of the damage she could do if it worked on the supernatural as well."

Klaus looked back at Caroline, trying to seem like his younger brother's test was having no effect on him. "I would reiterate my earlier threat. But I believe I would enjoy watching Elijah rip you to shreds, when he gains word of how you're talking about his lady, much more than anything I would do."

Kol shrugged his shoulders, no longer having fun with this game. His attention span was short, especially when he wasn't receiving the reactions he had aimed for. Now he eyed a pretty girl at the bar that wasn't Caroline. His hunger was now a higher priority than annoying his older brother. Without saying a word, he got up and left the table, leaving Klaus all alone.

The seat was abruptly filled with Hayley. She didn't waste any time, half expecting him to leave at her sudden appearance. "I don't want to fight with you." Hayley stated shamelessly. "I don't want you to get mad at me for being honest. Because we both know that's what I do. I'm straightforward, blunt, and I don't filter myself. Not because I don't know how, but because I don't want to."

Inside, Klaus was entertained by the truth she spoke. He knew all of this already. But his jaw remained tense and his eyes serious. "That's not entirely true." He pointed out. She was about to continue her rant, but his words caused a hesitation to interrupt her. "You are not always honest. You never tell anyone what you are feeling or express any emotion. You hide behind your wit and sarcasm." He said without looking her in the eye.

Hayley couldn't deny that it hurt having him point out her biggest fault, or as she liked to see it, her go-to way of escaping. She knew he felt as if he needed to get even for her roughness yesterday. It wasn't fair, but he did it anyway. "Right. Well…" Hayley actually stuttered. She always had a witty come back, a smart-aleck remark to put anyone in their place. But that would only prove Klaus' statement further. Her eyes looked away at the corner, desperately trying to stop any emotion from showing.

Klaus finally looked at her when she wasn't paying attention and immediately saw the damage he caused. He didn't know what had gotten into him. Why did he feel the need to hurt the one person that loved him other than his family? "Hayley…" He started quietly. The disgust he had for himself was easily heard.

She ignored his address to her. And while averting her eyes, she caught a few familiar faces in the grill. Caroline was sitting on the other side of the restaurant. She was sitting with Elena. They seemed to be completely ignoring the original's presence. "I came here to offer you advice." Hayley started, now she was the one refusing to look him in the eye. "A peace offering, I guess. But it's pretty clear that you're not ready to."

Klaus knew she was about to get up and leave. "Advice on what?" He asked, knowing it would keep her at the table just for a few more seconds.

A frown formed on her lips. "Caroline of course."

Klaus matched it before Hayley's cell phone started vibrating. It had to be Elijah. He'd given her a new phone once they discovered she'd been pronounced missing. Only him and his family had the number. She quickly answered it, realizing it she'd never told him where she was running off.

"I'm sorry." Hayley answered genuinely before he could speak. "I just realized I didn't leave a note or anything." "Yeah, I'm fine." "I'm at the grill." "Yes…I'm with him." She said huskily as her eyes just barely flickered to Klaus'. "I'll see you tonight." The conversation was rushed, as if Hayley thought Elijah's interruption would set Klaus off.

Klaus sighed. "What makes you think you can give advice on Caroline?"

Hayley glared mockingly at him. "Well, chief, you're not exactly in a place to _not_ take advice. I would say you should take anything you can get."

Klaus tilted his head slightly. "Did you just call me 'chief'?"

His statement earned a loud laugh from her. And just like that, all was settled between them. "Now you know how it feels when you constantly call me 'love' and 'sweetheart'!" She exclaimed and then crossed her arms, leaning back in the chair. "I mean really, do you think that's charming? 'Oh, look at me! I'm British and use pet names so I don't have to use your actual name… which I've forgotten, by the way.'" Hayley mocked him with her best British accent. She laughed when Klaus playfully glared at her.

"You are getting very close to that line, _Hayley_." He said, over articulating her name just to mock her argument.

Then Hayley's amusement subsided a little as she glanced at Caroline again. "You have an advantage that I don't think you've realized." She stated, still looking at the young vampire who was oblivious to them talking about her.

"And what's that?" He asked, trying to sound only mildly interested.

"Her best friend, that infamous doppelgänger…_she_ is the one that gets all the attention. Elena is constantly being saved. Elena is everyone's first choice. Everyone loves Elena." Then Hayley looked back at Klaus. "But with you…Caroline was your first choice. You don't give a fuck about any other girl in this town…or anywhere!"

"That's not entirely true." Klaus said with a mischievous smirk. "There's Rebekah…and then there's you." He corrected.

Hayley rolled her eyes. "That's really precious. Thank you for that."

Then Matt came over, even though he really didn't want to. His boss had yelled at him for not waiting on their table when it was in his section. He ignored them for as long as he could. "Can I get you anything?" Matt said quietly. But when he asked, he only looked at Hayley, completely acting as if Klaus didn't even exist.

"Yes, two of those horrible cups of what you call cappuccinos." Klaus said, glaring daggers at the somewhat irritating human boy.

Hayley quickly looked at away from Matt and threw a knife at Klaus, fully aware that he could catch it. But also not caring if he didn't. "Rude." She scolded him like a mother would a child. Then her demeanor changed completely as she regarded Matt again, her kindness that she refused to show was beaming from her smile and eyes. "I apologize on account of his rudeness. Two cappuccinos would be great. Thanks, Matt." He looked uncomfortable with the little skirmish he caused between them. But he forced a polite smile and nodded before walking away quickly.

"You are too indulgent with unworthy humans." Klaus glowered.

Hayley shook her head, somehow still stunned by his lack of sympathy. "I hope you remember that only a couple weeks ago I was one of those unworthy humans." She knew it would catch his attention. "I agree that not everyone in this small town deserves consideration. But Matt is one that does. So leave him alone."

"Oh, please. This is all because you feel guilty for almost killing the boy." Klaus said so casually that it was almost unsettling. "You deserve to have a little fun, seduce some boys with your siren charm, drain of few innocent victims."

She glared at him. "I know you're already well aware that my idea of fun has never included killing people. And I'm learning to control my siren issues, if you couldn't already tell with Matt being perfectly normal standing right next to me. And as for the seduction part…" Hayley stopped, recognizing she was about to say something personal about Elijah.

"You don't need to elaborate on that one, dear. I heard it perfectly clear last night." Klaus said with a smirk, tossing the knife she'd thrown at him back onto the table.

Hayley let an appearance of embarrassment slip for just a second before containing it again. "I hate you." She said evenly, but Klaus easily heard how dismissive she was.

* * *

Rebekah was in her bedroom, lounging on her king bed, and reading a girly magazine. She hated feeling like she wasn't modernized. But being daggered didn't stop time from passing or culture from changing. As soon as she heard a knock on her door, she shoved it under the pillow, knowing Kol or Klaus would tease her for it.

But Rebekah was surprised when she saw Elijah standing in the doorway. "Hayley's not in here if that's what you're looking for." She said with boredom, grabbing the magazine back from it's hiding place.

"That's not why I came to speak with you." He said simply, walking further into the room. He sat in the fancy chair next to her bed with perfect posture.

"Is that so?" Rebekah responded while her eyes remained on the glossy pages of her magazine. But when Elijah didn't continue, or even sigh at her dramatics, she glanced up at him. He was looking at her in the way he rarely did. He seemed somewhat concerned for her. It was a scarcity. "What did you want then?" She finally sighs.

"Well, you haven't exactly spoken more than two words at a time to me since our family's been reunited. You rarely even talk to Niklaus." Elijah said calmly.

"Yeah…well he has his little siren pet now, doesn't he? And you're too busy being jealous of them together."

"Bekah…" Elijah sighed, truly not knowing what she wanted to hear.

"What? Did you expect us to become best mates? Do you really think I'm that desperate for friends?" Then Rebekah looked over to see he was looking down at the ground. If anyone in their family was kind, it was Elijah, even if it was buried underneath other things. She seemed to always be pushing him to end all of it. No one else ever could see it, especially his victims. But his family always did. And she guessed Hayley did as well.

"We're quite different aren't we…me and her?" Rebekah finally put down her magazine and crossed her arms. "I fall in love and trust every one that shows the slightest interest… like a fool. Nik reminds me of it constantly. Meanwhile, she hardly trusts anyone. Even with Niklaus and you, she stills keeps secrets to herself as if it's her last line of defense should anyone ever try and break her heart." Elijah just sat there, listening and hating that his sister knew it all just as well as he did.

Rebekah crossed her arms and leaned toward him a little. "She's trying to rescue this family as if we need saving." She practically spat. But she meant what she said. Rebekah watched Hayley trying to make Niklaus a better person. And she knew more than anyone that he would never change. After spending a millennium with your own blood, no one else can appear to understand them better than you ever could.

Elijah got up from the chair at that point, not feeling like listening to his sister's dramatics any longer. He had come in here to simply speak with her, as hard as that was to believe. They rarely saw eye to eye. But they were still brother and sister. And after all, they hadn't seen each other in quite some time. Elijah parted ways with Klaus long ago and she stood by his side.

Elijah buttoned his suit the second he was fully standing up. "What if we do need saving?" He said quietly to her. For the first time in her existence, Rebekah saw guilt and searching in her brother's eyes.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Her tone softened just like his.

"I hate a strange dream last night. It is the first I can recall in quite some time. Mother was there." Rebekah instantly sat up straighter when he mentioned her. "She kept repeating the same thing. 'You weren't supposed to be this way.'" Elijah's eyes had been distant as he recalled the dream. Now he glanced up to see the horror etched on his sister's face. She seemed to realize that he caught it and immediately went expressionless.

"It was a silly dream, Elijah. Probably just your pointless morals getting under your skin." Rebekah said aloofly as she brushed a wave of hair off her shoulders. But really his words had hit a place deep within her. She was a girl who lost her mother much too young. And the worst thing Rebekah could hear was that somewhere, in the after life, her long lost mother was disappointed with how she had turned out.

"She wishes you no harm." Elijah changed the subject back to Hayley. He wasn't cut as deep as Rebekah was by the dreamt words from their mother. "Perhaps if you actually gave her a chance, you would like her." The last part he said condescendingly. Elijah understood that his sister was just being stubborn. But he also understood that another girl taking up the time of her brothers, especially Niklaus threatened Rebekah.

"Well…it doesn't seem like she'll be leaving any time soon, unfortunately." Rebekah exhaled. "I should take her shopping. The girl needs new clothes. I've seen her wear the same jacket twice in one week." Elijah nodded, trying not to give her any reaction. But he knew that what Rebekah meant was that she'd give Hayley more of a chance. It may have been hidden amongst an insult, but he still understood.

"Where has Finn disappeared to once again?" He asked, honestly curious as to where their second oldest sibling kept vanishing.

"Didn't you hear? His long lost stalker, Sage, came here this morning. Apparently she had been waiting for him all this time. Pathetic if you ask me."

"I didn't." Elijah said darkly before leaving the room.

* * *

"Stop acting like Klaus." Hayley said simply.

He leaned further onto the table. "So you're saying, don't be myself. Who should I act like? Your precious Elijah?"

"No. I'm saying…stop trying to show her that you're the original hybrid, the most powerful supernatural creature on the planet." Hayley corrected.

"Well, thank you, sweetheart. I don't really need reminding. But I enjoy hearing you talk me up, none the less." Klaus said smugly with a smirk.

"Nik! I'm serious." She urged, not allowing him to make the subject any less serious. Then she leaned back in her chair, almost giving up on trying to put her point across. "The original hybrid…that's the person Caroline hates, the one who hurt the people she loves, and the one she refuses to see as anything other than a monster." Then Hayley sighed, feeling like he wasn't listening to anything she was trying to tell him.

"What?" Klaus said so seriously. His tone gave her every initiative she needed to tell him what she wanted. Although he was pretending like he wasn't taking her seriously, he noted every piece of advice she was giving him. Hayley had been the only human Klaus was ever friends with. Caroline contained more humanity than any vampire he had ever met. So Hayley was the person who understood her the most. And Klaus knew he would be a fool to disregard her help, especially when her effort was so clear.

Hayley eyed him for a moment and uncrossed her arms. She glanced at Caroline and Elena again and was surprised to see that they were staring at her and Klaus. "Be Nik…be the person I'm friends with. The one who I saw before the entire supernatural world took over. Because that's the person who will make Caroline question if she really knows you." She glanced at her phone. The sun was starting to set. She hadn't realized how long she'd been at the grill, talking to Klaus. She looked over at Caroline again to see that she and Elena were still watching her suspiciously.

"I didn't know you were gracing us with your presence, Legs." Kol came out of nowhere and joined them at the table. He'd already drunk from three different girls. Yet he had miraculously left them alive and compelled to forget the alarming experience.

Hayley was already grabbing her purse and looking at Kol, confused. "Legs?"

Klaus rolled his eyes. "Kol is infatuated with your legs."

She looked between the two of them. It took her a moment to comprehend such ridiculousness. "Right…well, you were too busy making a mess to say hi, Dunce." Klaus laughed at the improvised nickname, while Kol glared at Hayley. She waved a goodbye to Klaus and cocked her head at Kol before turning to leave.

Just as Hayley was almost at the exit, she stopped. She could practically feel the girl's eyes on her back from the other side of the restaurant. Before she could change her mind, Hayley turned around and walked confidently down the couple of stairs to the high-top table Caroline and Elena were sitting at. Matt was behind the bar, drying glasses and watching carefully as he saw her approach his friends. The two girls sat up straighter when they saw Hayley only a few feet away from them.

"Hello." She said to them casually as if it her greeting was completely normal.

"Um…hi." Elena tried to sound just as confident but it came out like a question.

"I've been in town for awhile and never got to properly introduce myself." Hayley held out her hand to Caroline first. "I'm Hayley." Both girls shook it, but not before hesitating with a very confused expression. "You're the one that daggered Elijah and Rebekah." She said so nonchalantly to Elena that her jaw dropped a little. Then Hayley looked at Caroline. "And I've heard quite a lot about you." There was a slight gleam in her eye as she said it. Caroline immediately knew what she was talking about and glanced over at Klaus who was watching the exchange as well.

Hayley allowed them a few seconds to say something. But she was only answered with silence, which had been basically expected. "It was nice to finally meet you." She said to them. And she meant it. She then turned on her heels and walked to the exit. Hayley didn't really know what made her do it. Their staring may have set her off a bit. She wasn't an idiot. She knew how them and their friends looked at her. They didn't understand why she would associate with the originals or what her purpose was. Should they be scared of her? Should they hate her just as much as they hated the originals? And Hayley could sense it. Besides, if there was one thing she hated, it was people believing they knew her when they didn't. But she had to admit, she enjoyed their speechlessness when she walked over to them and confidently introduced herself without blinking an eye. Hayley thought they received her ulterior message: she wasn't meant to be disregarded.

Hayley stepped outside and saw people walking around down town. There was a slight chill to the air. It would never be as cold in Mystic Falls as it was in Chicago. But the weather was irrelevant to her now, wasn't it? She was a vampire. It didn't matter anymore. But despite her inability to feel the climate, Hayley felt a strange chill of some sort. Then she heard her name being whispered, yet it echoed in her hearing. This was not the first time she experience such strange noises. When she un-daggered Elijah and his siblings, it had been the ghost's whispering that lured her toward the old house in the first place. They practically guided her to them and then warned her when her life was in danger from Stefan. She assumed this wasn't something lots of people faced as often as she did.

Hayley's eyes scanned across the faces passing her on the sidewalks. Somehow, she knew that whoever was whispering her name wasn't a ghost. They were somewhere nearby and she was going to find them. Hayley was walking so fast, she could have been jogging. She desperately looked around; trying to figure out if the whispering was getting louder or quieter depending on where she moved. Then she stopped in her tracks. Everyone that had been walking around just a few moments ago seemed to have disappeared all at once. Hayley slowly turned around and immediately met eyes with someone. In the distance, there was a woman standing in the shadow of a large tree in the town's square. Her hair was a striking dark red. It was almost down to her wait and curled to perfection. She had a knowing smile on her lips as she looked back at her. Hayley's brow creased in confusion at how she felt like she knew this woman even though this was her first time seeing the outsider. Hayley almost seemed in a trance as she took a step toward her. She sensed like nothing else mattered but speaking to this mystery woman instantly.

But Hayley only made it a few steps before she was stopped. Someone had come up behind her. She felt a prick in her neck and realized they had just injected something into her bloodstream. Hayley tried whipping around but the liquid was already flowing through her and a strong pair of hands pushed her onto the ground. It had to be vervain. Elijah had warned her of its effects just a few days ago. Her knees hit the hard cement sidewalk and her neck hung low. She barely glanced up to see the mystery woman had taken a step out from the shadows as if she had decided to help Hayley but then stopped herself. Her lips were no longer in a knowing smirk, but instead a surprisingly troubled expression. That was the last thing Hayley saw before she felt her body completely shut down.


	19. Part IXX

**Blah blah blah. I don't think anyone cares about this story anymore.**

* * *

Hayley was lifeless on her stomach. Her arms sprawled out and her neck twisted at an unnatural angle. But slowly she started to awaken from her shortly faced death. Her eyes fluttered open and she was instantly met with complete darkness. It was as if her eyelids hadn't opened at all. She realized she had not returned to reality yet. Was this a dream?

"Am I dead?" She groaned in pain ominously to herself.

"You are not." A calm, female voice said to her.

Hayley shot up off the ground and turned in a quick 360. The sudden movement left a slight ache in her neck from it being broken. She breathed heavily when her vision was still met with only darkness and not a face to match the mystery voice. Yet, she continued to spin hoping to eventually find them.

"There is no reason to be frightened." The voice finally spoke again. Then, as if by magic, a body appeared. Her face was kind with hair that was light brown, long, and wavy. It wasn't styled or processed like every woman's was today, but completely natural. She had on a dress that seemed so out of date and unique that Hayley guessed it was made by the woman's own hands.

"I'm not scared." Hayley immediately answered. Her hands were bouncing slightly at her sides, ready for a fight if that's what was coming. This wasn't natural. It was a dream. She made this up. They were in a black abyss. Nothing like this was made by anything other than the mind.

"Of course not." The woman said with a surprisingly gentle smile.

"Where am I? What's going on?" Hayley quickly shot.

"I wished to speak to you, Hayley." She took a step toward her.

Her eyes narrowed. "How do you know my name? Who are you?"

The woman sighed. Then they were both standing in the middle of what appeared to be a hut. Hayley gasped at the scenery change, completely confused on how it happened. "My name is Esther." The woman said sitting on a chair that seemed to be made of animal hide and wood. She gestured for Hayley to take the one across from her. Hayley hesitated and eyed Esther before taking it.

"You have heard of me, I'm sure. But I am assuming I was not regarded by my name. Instead, I'm sure Elijah told you of his mother instead." Esther instantly saw the flash in Hayley's eyes as she said her eldest son's name.

"Elijah?" Hayley barely whispered in shock. Then she met Esther's hard gaze. "You're their mother? You're the original witch?" The look in her eyes told Hayley she was correct. "But you're dead. This can't be real. How can any of this be real?"

"I promise you, Hayley, all of this is as real. You are dead, temporarily, but still dead in the basic wisdom. That is the only reason I am able to speak with you right now." Esther waited for her to blurt out another string of questions but Hayley was calm, waiting for her to continue. "I know that you have been told about the prophecy."

Hayley frowned. "More like heard about it. No one seems to want to tell me the truth."

Esther smirked at how obvious she made her annoyance. "Well…would you like to hear all of it? And who better to hear it from than the one who created it?" Her eyes darkened mischievously as she saw Hayley gape at her in shock and confusion.

"Yes. It was I who conjured the very magic that connects you to my children."

It took a moment for Hayley to form words. "But why? Why did you create it?"

Esther smiled sadly to herself, lost in her thoughts as she stared at nothing. "The spirits protected my body all this time, waiting for the chance to resurrect me. Even after a thousand years, they preserved the original witch."

"The coffin that wouldn't open." Hayley muttered to herself.

"Precisely." Esther surprised her by saying. "But…when I could feel my chance coming soon, only a few dozen years away, I realized I could not complete the task that was set upon me." She saw the puzzlement on Hayley's face. "The spirits gave me a second chance for one and only reason: to destroy the monstrosities I created. I was meant to kill my very children and rid the world of the evil they wreak." Hayley tried not to show any reaction, but her eyes still widened at the thought. "But I…I could not kill my own blood. It was never their fault for what I made them. I never even gave them a choice in the matter. I simply could not bare to watch another one of my children die before my eyes." Tears started to form in Esther's eyes as she remembered the very day she'd created vampires. It was all out of hatred and mourning from Henrik's young death. Hayley was about to go to her side to comfort her, always in distress when she saw others so upset. But Esther seemed to sense this and held up a hand to stop Hayley before she could get up.

"I still don't understand what any of this has to do with the prophecy." Hayley whispered.

"It has everything to do with the prophecy. But more importantly: you." Esther answered quickly. "I knew I would be punished by the spirits for refusing my task. I had little time to do one final act before I was forbidden to touch the world of the living again. I tried to right my wrongs, but not with the death of my children." Esther moved from her chair and walked to the opening of the hut they sat in as if she were reliving her memories. "I sought out someone who could save my children, show them that they still had a chance to be good. From this world, I watched human after human, hoping to find someone who was capable of changing my children, the original vampires."

Esther turned to face Hayley. She slowly walked to her and kneeled at her side. Esther's hand just barely touched her cheek. Hayley froze under such warm contact. It was unexpected. "Then I found you…just a small child playing in the tall grass of your home. I saw that the strength you had yet to discover and I also saw the darkness that would force Klaus to let you in."

Hayley felt as if she was going to be sick. She quickly moved out of the chair and walked a few steps away, completely breaking the physical touch of Ester. The original witch slowly stood and faced her once again. "I knew it. I could _feel_ it…you were meant for him."

"Klaus? I was meant for Klaus?" Hayley's voice shook at the thought. What if Elijah had been wrong? What if she was meant to love Klaus, not him? What if she was only destined to meet Elijah so he could eventually steer her towards his younger brother? It would destroy her. There were many things she was uncertain of after being thrown into the supernatural world. But loving Elijah had never been one of them. For her entire life, he was the thing she believed in most. Even when she thought to have imagined him, her faith in his existence would never have faded.

"No, Hayley. Elijah." Esther said quietly. She watched as Hayley let out a gasp of breath as if she'd been holding it for hours. "But you are connected to all of my children. That feeling you get every time you even just barely brush their skin, it is so they know that you belong with them."

Hayley shook her head, trying to think about what Esther had said from the start. She had been looking for someone to save her children. Hayley's first instinct was to defend the children whose mother believed they needed to be saved. But she knew she was completely wrong. All of them had been sinners: killing, torturing, and ruining lives. Even Elijah, the one she loved more than any of them, his high morals didn't even stop him from doing the same. Yes, Hayley had pardoned him for all his immoralities long ago. But that didn't stop everyone else, even his mother, from pointing them out.

Hayley then felt an unbearable weight. She didn't know why, but tears started to flood her eyes. Usually she could stop them. Usually she could swallow the pain and push the weak tears from escaping or even showing. But she seemed to have no control of them here. "What…" She stopped, ashamed for even thinking it. But she had to. "What if I can't?" Hayley whispered. "What if I can't save them at all?" She just kept thinking of the Esther's last attempt at correcting her wrongs becoming a complete failure all because she put her trust in one girl.

Esther looked at her with such sympathy. "I forget that you are still practically a child."

The tears streamed down Hayley's cheek silently. "I haven't been a child for awhile now." She corrected. Then, out of nowhere, a wave of anger spread over her. "What choice do I have? What choice did I ever have?" Her voice was no longer a whisper, but quiet and stern. "It's just like what started this in the first place! You've made me into something without my agreement exactly like you did with them! I see where Nik gets his impulsiveness." The last comment was supposed to be a prick of pain toward Esther, but the witch remained calm as the outburst was aimed only toward her.

"I know you have suffered from my decisions. Being close to my children has brought you harm. I understand that more than anyone, maybe even Elijah." She sighed. "But you also must see that I have brought you happiness that you would never have found without him…or Niklaus." Hayley shook her head at the irrationality. "And I know that you are afraid of what will happen if you do not succeed. You are not upset about the responsibility. You simply doubt your ability."

It was true. Hayley wasn't mad that all of this had been put on her, not really. But she didn't want to change Elijah. Klaus was evil by choice, not accident. It was the only way he knew how to deal with his pain. She didn't even know how to help Kol. Rebekah hated her. And Finn wasn't even around enough for her to say a sentence to him. He would rather kill himself than be saved by the likes of her.

Hayley would never wish Esther didn't bring her and Elijah together. But she hated being told what to do. She was stubborn; everyone knew that. So being aware that her life was meddled with maddened her on a disturbing level. A part of her felt like her entire life had been a lie. Growing up, she believed she had a choice, a say in how her life would turn out. But she never did, did she?

"Hayley." Esther whispered as she took a step toward her. The tone of her voice made Hayley realize that she had to listen closely to whatever she was about to say. "You are the only chance they have. Promise me you'll try." The witch urged desperately.

"I can't even control myself now that I'm a vampire. I can't even look at a human male without them practically asking me to drink their blood! Who am I to try and teach them to be good, to have a conscious, to stop killing if I can't even do it myself?" Hayley pleaded.

"I am sorry for the siren attribute you possess. I tried to stop it, but I failed."

Hayley squinted. "What do you mean you tried to stop it?"

"The spirits were suspicious of me. They started watching you from the in-between. As soon as they saw the attachment you had to my children, they doubted me. After you un-daggered my children and saved them, they were furious. The hypnotic ability you possess is a curse…a punishment the spirits gave you for aiding the original vampires." Esther explained in a droned voice.

"The chanting…that was you?" It made sense to her now. The voices that were guiding her were sent from Esther to help her. Then their surroundings flickered like a dying light bulb would. A wind comes from nowhere, making it hard for them to even hear one another. Hayley's eyes flickered around while Esther looked scared for the first time since she'd met her.

"I do not have much time. They have found me." Esther rushed forward, grabbing both of Hayley's hands in her own. "They will try and kill them. And the witches will help her. They have already spoken with her. You have to protect Elijah…Niklaus…all of them. Please, I beg you!"

Hayley looked frightened at how the Esther had completely lost all composure so quickly. "Who are they helping? I don't understand." She said in a panic voice.

Esther looked around at the flickering hut like she could see things that Hayley could not. A single tear slid down the witch's smooth cheek. "Tell them I love them. Especially Niklaus…even after everything he did. He must know even more than the others."

Hayley shook her head instead of asking the millions of other questions she had going through her mind. But before she can even open her mouth, Esther was gone and everything was black once again. Hayley didn't need to be told that the original witch could and would be punished. And somehow she knew that she would never rest in peace. Maybe it wasn't hell. Hayley wasn't even sure she believed in it. But she didn't believe vampires just months ago either. No matter what though, Esther would never be forgiven for her mistake. She would never go to the other side. Instead, she would be stuck in the halfway, utterly restless and forced to watch the damage her children cause.

Hayley's eyes fluttered open just like before. But this time, she wasn't met with darkness. She was on her back, staring at a ceiling. That's all she looked at as she tried to regain her breath. The wood was cracking from age and a few nails stuck out more than others. She moved her fingers a little and felt either sand or dirt, or maybe both. She finally looked around and realized she was in a cellar of some sort. The walls were made of dusty brick and at the edge of one wall there was a fluorescent light in the ceiling. It was the only source of light in the room. Hayley slowly sat up and was staring straight at a door. It was wood and had a small open space of bars that allowed her to see into the hallway on the other side. Instantly, she got up to open it but found it locked. At first, this didn't discourage Hayley. She was a vampire now. Locks didn't mean anything to her any longer. So she put her strength into it this time, the kind that she didn't possess as a human. But the door still didn't budge. Whoever brought her here clearly knew what they were dealing with. First, the vervain injection and now the impenetrable door.

Hayley gave the door a hard kick in frustration. The power of it shook the walls of the house. She turned away from it and looked around the room again. There was nothing to work with: no sharp objects and no windows. She'd probably have better luck digging her way through the floor. She paced around the room in irritation. How could she have been so stupid? She hadn't been on her guard. She didn't even give them a fight. How could she have been so weak?

Suddenly, Hayley felt a presence on the other side of the door. She instantly stopped pacing. Her back was to the door before she slowly turned around to face the discernments that observed her. Staring back at her was Damon Salvatore's ice-blue eyes. Hayley rushed forward to the door, gripping a bar in each hand of the small window. Her jaw was clenched so tightly that it was possible she could crack some of her teeth.

"Please tell me this is some kind of joke." She hissed at him.

"It took you longer to wake up than I thought." Damon said, ignoring her statement. The comment about her blackout made Hayley remember Esther. For a moment, just a moment, she'd forgotten about it, like when one would forget a dream as soon as they woke from it.

"Let me out of here, Damon."

He tilted his head and smirked at her. "No can do."

"What do you plan on achieving here?" She snapped. "All you're going to do is get yourself killed _and_ your brother. So let me out before your stupidity gets your heart ripped out."

"Well…you see," He started confidently. "If this all works out to plan, there will be no one to kill us for kidnapping you."

Hayley smiled at him condescendingly. "Are you trying to tell me that you plan on killing four originals and a hybrid? I don't know if you've heard, Damon, but they're kind of…oh what's that word? Indestructible."

"But that's just it." Damon leaned in closer and lowered his voice to a whisper. "They aren't as indestructible as you think. Our witchy friend Bonnie is the one to thank for that." The word 'witch' is what made Hayley's face fall into a terrified frowned. Was that who Esther had been talking about? Damon was satisfied with ruing Hayley's hopes. He stepped back. "Don't worry, we have no intention of putting a stake through that cold heart of yours. You'll be out to go to their funerals…if there is any." With that, he winked and disappeared from the basement.

Hayley slowly backed away from the door until she hit the opposite wall. She slid down it until she was crouched on the floor, hugging her knees to her chest. Even though she didn't want to believe it, the honesty in Damon's voice proved that they truly thought they'd found a way to destroy the originals. Hayley's breathing became strained. She had to get out of here and warn them. Why was she always the bait? They clearly kidnapped her to lure either Elijah or Klaus…or both. Hayley wouldn't put them in danger for caring about her. It wasn't fair to them. After all these centuries, they refused to love anyone for this very reason. She couldn't let them regret it.

Then Hayley remembered Esther's last words. _"You have to protect Elijah…Niklaus…all of them. Please."_ She could have contacted her children to tell them she loved them herself. But instead she used her last act on Hayley, to tell her that their existence was up to her and only her. Hayley couldn't let her down. But also because she wouldn't be able to survive without them either.

* * *

Rebekah sauntered into the grill, chin up and high heels on. She looked around for Hayley. After all, she'd promised Elijah she tried to put in more of an effort with her. And she had been bored anyway, might as well get started. Her eyes scanned across the restaurant and then the bar. But the could-be-model was nowhere to be found. Before she found Hayley, she found both of her brothers.

Rebekah walked over to them her arms crossed. "Thanks for the invite." She snapped at them with one of her eyebrows raised. Kol smirked at her sass and Klaus just slowly turned around, barely acknowledging her.

"Where's Hayley? I came to ask if she wanted to go shopping." She continued.

"Bekah…being civil? What is this? Have you hit your head?" Kol mocked his only sister as he sat back in his chair and crossed his arms.

"She left just a few minutes ago." Klaus said without looking at his sister.

"Whatever." Rebekah said sighing and rolling her eyes. Without another word, she left the grill. She had yet to buy a car, so she went home using only her vampire speed. It allowed her to return to the mansion in only a minute or two. She walked in to the main entrance to see Finn, Sage, and Elijah standing amongst one another.

"What's going on?" Rebekah asked as she saw the concern in Elijah's face.

But it was Sage who spoke to the original. "I've come baring news that concerns you." She stated dramatically. "The Salvatores have found another white oak tree…one that was reborn after the original was burnt down." Rebekah's eyes raced to Elijah, which only confirmed that it was true.

"They plan on making weapons out of it obviously. It must be burned down immediately." Finn finally spoke to his sister. Was this where they had been this entire time? Figuring out this mystery without giving their family any warning of a potential danger?

"Well…what are we doing standing around discussing it?" Rebekah snapped. Only Elijah would be able to hear the hidden fear in her voice. They were truly in danger for the first time in centuries. And she was unable to show the composure that her eldest brother could.

"Where is Hayley? Perhaps she would enjoy a little pyromania." Rebekah asked.

Elijah's face changed at the mentioning of her. "She's at the grill with Niklaus."

Rebekah's nose crunched. "No, she is not. I was just there. They said she left a few minutes ago. I assumed she came back here." Her observation wasn't filled with concern about the young vampire. But then she saw a flicker in Elijah's eyes and his brow crease. It wasn't until then that she realized something could be wrong. Without saying a word, Elijah grabbed a cell phone from his pocket and dialed a number. But there was no answer.

"Do you think…she was-" Rebekah started carefully.

"Yes." Elijah snapped.

Sage and Finn looked at each other, barely understanding what was going on.

"It was Damon. It had to be." Sage cut in. Rebekah glared at her. She never liked the wench. She was strangely obsessed with her brother. And she didn't appreciate how she came out of the woodwork as soon as Finn was awoken. Had she really been waiting for him all this time? But, really Rebekah was just jealous that her dreary brother has something she wanted and never had.

"How do _you_ know Damon Salvatore?" Rebekah challenged.

"He's…an old acquaintance. A protégé, I guess you could say." Sage responded confidently.

Rebekah scowled at her. Then she saw Elijah heading toward the front door. "And where do you think you're going?" He stopped walking and slowly turned to face his sister. Rebekah held her breath when she saw the sheer rage showing threw his entire body. She uncrossed her arms and was completely taken aback by seeing her composed and moral brother in such a way.

"My tolerance has diminished. I no longer have any reason to keep them alive. They take Hayley and I shall take something of theirs." Rebekah listened, wondering who this person was. It didn't sound like Elijah and it didn't look at him. But that's when she was able to truly understand how much he loved Hayley. Just the very idea of her possibly being in danger scared him into losing his morals and self-control.

"I'll come with…" Rebekah practically stuttered. "I'll help you."

Elijah barely gave any indication of agreeing to her offer. But Rebekah was able to catch the smallest bow from him. She nodded back nervously before turning to Finn. Elijah was already out the door. "Go find Nik and Kol. Tell them what you know but do not include Hayley. And don't let them intervene with Elijah's plan. We will keep in touch." Finn and Sage nodded and watched Rebekah race after Elijah. She didn't want to involve Klaus. He would wreak havoc on the entire town if he found out Hayley was taken once again. He wouldn't think clearly, only relying on his compulsiveness to get her back. Rebekah knew that Elijah would be slyer, more strategic.

"What exactly is your plan?" Rebekah asked her oldest brother once she caught up.

"Go to the cavern and tunnels. Stay concealed. I will be there in less than an hour." He didn't even glance at his sister as he gave her the commands.

Rebekah stopped walking. "Elijah?" She said quietly. Her tone finally made him stop and look at her. "She'll be okay. She's stronger than you give her credit for. We'll get her back." She reassured him quietly. Her kindness was something she didn't show her brothers very often.

Elijah just nodded and disappeared without a word.

* * *

He waited at the front door, listening to her steps down the stairs. She opened the door and wasn't able to hide her surprise at seeing the original on her front steps. "Elena." He greeted calmly. Her heartbeat hadn't jumped at seeing him. The Salvatores must not have told her of their plan. Keeping her in the dark was a habit they had. It would make all of this even easier. Elena trusted Elijah.

"Elijah." She acknowledged kindly.

"I don't mean to intrude." He answered with his ageless charm. "I was hoping you might accompany me." He saw Elena look around her, caught off guard by his invitation. "I want to show you something." Elijah urged. He knew she wouldn't be able to resist.

* * *

Elena followed him out of the car in the middle of the forest, unsure of the reasons for Elijah bringing her there. He started telling her about his family's history with the town she grew up in. Elena remained polite, completely oblivious to his true intentions. She didn't' suspect a thing. He continued to the cavern and knelt down. His eyes just barely flickered up to spot Rebekah hidden from any human eyes. But he could sense her easily. She was waiting for some kind of cue.

Elijah slowly stood up from his kneeling position, but still didn't face the doppelgänger. "The Salvatore brothers would do anything to assure your safety. Probably sacrifice themselves without even considering the idea." He said evenly and then finally meeting her gaze. Elena tilted her head, confused by the sudden change of conversation. "I'm certain they never informed you of their intention to abduct Hayley." He said darkly.

That was when he heard Elena's heartbeat finally jump. "I told them not to, Elijah. You have to believe me. I don't want to involve her any more than you do."

"Yet your wishes were not honored." He practically growled as he took a step toward her.

"I'll get them to let her go. This is all a misunderstanding. Trust me, Elijah."

Then he caught something in her expression. She may be oblivious to Hayley's involvement. But she was aware of the Salvatores discovery of the white oak in Wickery Bridge and their scheme. "What are they planning?" He stepped even closer to her, showing that he knew what she was hiding.

"I never wanted this to happen." Elena almost whispered.

"What?"

"They don't just want to kill Klaus." She mumbled slightly. "Please, Elijah, just let me go."

"I have spared their lives. However, Damon and Stefan dismiss my brother's continued threats and my own. It appears a new method must be used to get my point across." Elena tilted her head, not quite understanding what he meant. But before she could question him, Elijah grabbed her and plodded the ground beneath them. It gave way instantly under the originals' strength, showing an opening to underground tunnels. Elena let out a shriek when he jumped down to it with her in his grasp. There was so much clouded dirt that she could only feel him release her. Once she could see again, she realized Elijah was already gone and had left her in here as a prisoner.

Elijah walked away from the opening and met Rebekah who had come out of hiding. "Watch her. If it becomes necessary, kill her when I give you such an indication." He informed her without any emotion. This was the only way he could truly give his message across to the foolish Salvatores. If they take the one he loves, he will destroy the one they do.

"It will be my pleasure." Rebekah said with a smirk.

* * *

**I've had like 10 reviews all together from the last 4 chapters. Really depressing. **


	20. Part XX

**THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!**

* * *

Hayley slowly brought up her head. This wasn't her. She didn't sit around, hoping someone would save her. She saved herself. What was the point of trying to prove to everyone that she wasn't a damsel in distress if she just waited for someone to come? That was what the Salvatore brothers needed. They wanted Klaus or Elijah to come get her so they could kill them. _No._ Hayley told herself. _I can save myself._

She glanced around the cellar again, trying to see if there was absolutely anything that could help her. But there was absolutely nothing. Hayley told herself to think. Than Elijah's words echoed into her head, "Find your enemies weakness and figure out what you have that they do not." Hayley closed her eyes, took in a deep breath, and thought of what she had that the Salvatores didn't. Then her eyes snapped open. Her speed. Damon and Stefan were over a century older than her. They were stronger than her. If it came to a fight, she had no chance. But Hayley was fast and Elijah never failed to reassure her of it.

Out of nowhere, an idea came to her. She didn't have a lot of time. How long had she even been passed out for? She wondered. There was no way of knowing if Elijah or his family realized she was missing or if they were looking for her right now. It wouldn't be hard to find her. That was the point. This was one of the first places they would look. But Hayley knew she had to escape before her disappearance could put them in danger.

Hayley looked at her wrist in hesitation just for a second. Then she felt her fangs slide out. She tore into her wrist and immediately held the wound over the dirt floor. She shook it, making sure it looked how it was supposed to. She positioned herself, crouched on her knees with hands holding up her upper body and her neck hung in defeat. Hayley took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. There was a chance it couldn't work. But if it did, she had one shot and that was it.

* * *

Damon was standing in the den of the boarding house and looking out the window. Stefan paced back and forth, not caring if it was driving his brother crazy. They didn't know when the originals would show up. But when they did, they would be prepared. Damon knew it would only be one or two. The original family was more dysfunctional than even his relationship with Stefan. They would be able to handle two of them. At least, long enough for Alaric to drive a dagger through one of their hearts. The human was hidden in the boarding house and would only show himself with the dagger when Damon or Stefan had an original pinned. Then they would rip the bridge apart and stake their captive. And the original family would drop like flies.

The plan wasn't to take Hayley so soon. The stakes weren't ready yet and their plan hadn't been set in stone. But when she was completely inattentive outside the grill, Damon saw his chance. He had to take it. Who knew when she would be alone again? Stefan immediately stated the obvious, what if Elena found out? She made it clear that she refused to let Hayley be used like she was by the originals. But, to Damon, that was exactly the reason why it was justified.

Stefan stopped pacing. Damon instantly knew why. He heard something. It was Hayley in cellar. She was groaning in pain and clearly coughing. Stefan's eyes flickered to his brothers. It was filled with concern. Damon had made it an unspoken rule that only he would deal with Hayley. Stefan still felt guilty for everything he put her through. And his guilt had only become worse when his humanity slowly returned to his consciousness.

"What's happening to her?" Stefan asked quietly as he turned his ear in the direction of the noise. Damon's brow furrowed. There was nothing in cellar that she could harm herself with. Then he remembered a side comment Bonnie had made after she performed the spell. Hayley wasn't just in love with Elijah. She was connected to the originals. Damon wondered if they'd somehow done something to her as well.

"Keep an eye out." Damon said to his brother before brushing past him to the cellar.

In a flash, he was at the door and peered through the small gap. Hayley was hunched over, clearly in pain. Her wavy, blonde-red hair hid her face. But Damon could hear her violent coughing perfectly. Then his eyes noticed the red blood splattered on the ground in front of her. Was she coughing up blood? His face creased with concern. She was no good to them if she was dead.

Hayley seemed to sense his presence. She slowly turned face him. Her eyes were wet from the hacking and there was blood on her lips. But she didn't look at him for help. Then she fell on her back, grabbing her stomach as she cried out in pain.

Damon immediately wanted to unbolt the door. But his hand lingered on top of the handle. "What's happening to you?" He asked her, making sure there was no concern in his tone.

Hayley had uneven gasps of breath. "I…I don't know. It hurts…it-" But she was cut off by another wave of coughing. Damon looked over his shoulder as if Stefan would be there, shaking his head for him not to open the door. But he was alone. Before he could change his mind, Damon unlocked the door and was there in a few seconds. He knelt at her side.

"Blood." Hayley gasped. "I need blood." And she felt him disappear to get her a blood bag.

He was back in a second and knelt down at her side. Without looking at him, she sloppily grabbed the blood out of his grasp. Then, in a split second, she was behind Damon. Her hands were around his neck and in one fluid motion; she twisted it to its limit. She did it all so quickly that Damon didn't even have time to react. Hayley let out a gasp of relief. Without even thinking, she grabbed the blood bag off the floor and drank it in seconds. Getting her neck broken and being out for what she assumed was hours, made her weak. And if she was going to get past Stefan, she was going to need to be at full strength.

Hayley made sure not to make any noise. If Stefan were listening, which she was sure he was, he wouldn't be able to distinguish who had been attacked. Hayley closed the cellar door and locked it. She allowed herself one quick glance at Damon. He lay on his side, his limbs fallen hazardously around him in an unsettling manner. She could have ripped out his throat. She could have really killed him. But Hayley didn't let herself linger on the thought. There was no time.

She turned and sped around the corner and up the stairs. The front door was straight away. All she had to do was get outside and she could make it back to the mansion. Stefan wouldn't be able to catch her. She raced toward the door. But she was propelled backwards, off her feet. She slid across the wood floor from the strength of it. Quickly, she jumped to her feet and faced Stefan who was now standing between her and the door.

Alaric was around the corner, waiting for some kind of signal to attack Hayley. But Stefan wouldn't give it. He wouldn't kill Hayley. He told Alaric just before she came up the stairs to stay hidden. They needed someone to tell the others if something happened. If they were all dead, there was no way for the others to know.

"You didn't think it would be that easy, did you?" Stefan asked her, his hands ready at his sides. Hayley smirked at it. She would have been insulted if he wasn't prepared for a fight.

"You and your brother are fucking idiots, Stefan." She said calmly. "I told you that if you ever tried to use me against them, I would rip out your heart."

"Feel free to try and rip out my heart after I kill the originals." Stefan replied. Her threat didn't seem to have any effect on him.

"That's the thing though." Hayley said with her head tilted. She took a slow step forward. "Even if I can't do it…even if you kill me first, Elijah will. Stefan…you're a dead man no matter what happens. Damon claims you have a brilliant plan to kill them. But even if it works, Elijah will stay alive until he's sure that he's killed you." She enunciated every word, making sure she got her point across. Even if she didn't scare him, the threat of Elijah would. And she wanted to see fear in his eyes. She wanted to see him shift from the thought of it.

"I don't want to kill you, Hayley." Stefan said, surprisingly softly.

"If you keep me here, you'll never get Elena back."

Stefan's eyes widened at the name. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Hayley didn't know that Elijah had already taken her. She just knew it would catch Stefan off guard. She could lie. It was a skill that she'd perfected at a young age. "Klaus said he was leaving. And he said he wasn't leaving without the doppelgänger. She's the key to his hybrids after all. You really didn't think he was going to let her out of his sight, did you?" Stefan's posture completely changed and that was when Hayley knew that he took the bait.

"Go ahead." She urged. "Call her and see if she picks up." Hayley knew Elena would pick up. She knew her lie would be exposed. But it didn't matter. As soon as Stefan heard Elena's voice, a wave of relief would wash over him. And in that exact moment, he would be off guard. Hayley wouldn't try and break his neck. She just needed to get past him and out the door.

Stefan eyed her for a moment before he slowly grabbed his cellphone from his pocket. His fingers raced across the screen as he called Elena. He took a slight step away from the door as he heard the tone ring and ring. Hayley's heart sank when she heard Elena's voicemail start. She hadn't thought of a plan if Elena didn't answer and made Stefan truly believe that she was taken. Stefan's eyes went dark when he hung up the phone and stared Hayley down. She swallowed. Her throat was dry from the panic she was now thrown into. But before anything could happen, the front door of the boarding house was thrown off its hinges. It flew so far that Hayley had to dive out of the way to avoid getting hit by it. The door banged onto the floor a few feet away from her. It wasn't really a door anymore, more like bits of wood and splinters.

Now Hayley's eyes looked at the opening to see Elijah for a split second. He hadn't spotted her. Instead, he grabbed Stefan and threw him so hard against the wall that the wooden panel cracked under the force. "It is evident to me now. You are searching for a death wish. I will rip you apart. Where is that imbecile you call your brother?" His voice seemed calm. But Hayley almost shuddered at how utterly terrifying it sounded to her. He was mad…No, furious. To her disbelief, his hand shoved into Stefan's chest, who let out a yell of excruciating pain.

Hayley instantly pushed herself up off the ground. "Elijah!" It was meant to come out like a yell. But it sounded desperate and was nowhere loud enough. But he still whipped around at the sound of her voice. It was clear he was absolutely relieved. But his hand didn't unleash Stefan's heart from its grasp. And his eyes were still filled with the fury. He was going to kill him. She could read it all too well. And as much as she had just threatened Stefan with this precise act, she didn't want it to actually happen now that it was unfolding before her eyes. She didn't want Elijah to be a killer. She didn't want him to seek revenge on her behalf. But it wasn't really for her, was it? He was doing it for himself.

"Don't kill him." Hayley whispered. He would've protested, but his jaw was too clenched to even open it to speak. "They weren't going to kill me. They didn't even hurt me. I was just here for them to get to you." She told him softly as she slowly walked toward him. Her eyes flickered to Stefan. His face was covered in beads of sweat. Some of his hair was stuck to his skin due to the moisture. He bit his lip from the pain of Elijah squeezing his heart.

"He's not worth it." She pleaded. Stefan looked so pitiful this way. There was hardly even any fight left in him. "Please…just let him go." Her pleading caused Elijah to look him in eyes. His gaze was full of the darkest hatred. Hayley was scared he'd rip out the heart right there. Her last few steps toward him were rushed. She wrapped her fingers around his wrist gently. He looked away from Stefan to her. "Elijah…will you please do this for me? Just…just let him go." Her gaze dug into his, begging and pleading with him silently.

Elijah blinked a few times and then slowly took his hand out of Stefan's chest. It was covered in blood. Stefan exhaled and keeled over the second their contact broke. Hayley stepped away in absolute relief. But Elijah wasn't satisfied. He grabbed Stefan by his collar. The younger vampire barely even put in effort into defending himself any longer as he grabbed onto Elijah's arm, trying to free himself. Elijah threw one punch, just one. But it was so hard that it knocked Stefan unconscious. Hayley jumped a little and cringed when she heard the snap. Elijah had broken Stefan's neck with one punch. It would have killed a human. But Stefan would be back in an hour or two, just like his brother.

Elijah stared down at Stefan and breathed heavily with his teeth clenched together. It wasn't from exhaustion, but from his rage. Hayley watched him cautiously. He seemed to be trying to control the urge to kill him right there or cause him more harm. It took a minute for him to finally put down his hand that was still tightened into a fist so strictly that Hayley thought the skin over his knuckles would split. Elijah clenched and unclenched his hand, trying to remove the violent impulses that wouldn't stop. Then he slowly looked at her. Hayley's medium length hair was messily framing her face. And her eyes were slightly wider than usual from the fear of what he was capable of doing.

Elijah instantly pulled her into his arms, his hand firmly on the back of her head. She let out a sigh of relief before he stepped away. But he didn't let her go far. His hands rested on either side of her face as he dipped his head to stare into her eyes. "Did they hurt you?" He said evenly. But the question was so much deeper than that. Hayley must choose her words carefully. If she said yes or even implied a confirmation, Stefan and Damon wouldn't be safe. Nothing she could say to him would save them. She knew it.

Hayley instantly shook her head. "They didn't touch me." She stated firmly.

"Where is Damon?" He asked as soon as he was reassured that she was fine.

"Locked in the cellar…unconscious." His eyebrows rose just the slightest bit. "I snapped his neck." She added in a low mutter. "Is everyone okay? Klaus…all of them, are they hurt?" The words rushed out of her mouth. Just because Elijah came for her, didn't mean that the rest remained unscathed.

"They're fine." Elijah said steadily. "Why wouldn't they be?"

"Let's go." She quickly said. "I'll explain it to everyone."

* * *

They walked into the mansion a few moments later. Elijah hadn't said a word to her after they left the Salvatore boarding house. She couldn't decide if he was mad at her or just mad in general. But she couldn't think about it any further since his family came out of various rooms to see who had returned.

Kol came bounding down the steps first. "The knight in shining armor saves his maiden. The world is right once again." He paused on the last step and made a satisfied noise as he smirked at their entrance. His comment shouldn't have bothered Hayley. She was an expert at dealing with Kol. But for some reason, anger sparked inside of her. She glared at him as her chest heaved with deep breaths. Elijah wasn't paying attention to her or he would have caught on. Kol bounced down the last step of the staircase and crossed his arms as he leaned against the banister. Hayley stormed past him, her shoulder ramming into his as she flew up the stairs.

Elijah uncrossed his arms and watched her carefully, now seeing that something wasn't right. But before he could go after her, Klaus, Sage, and Finn came into the entrance hall of the mansion from one of the many other rooms. Klaus just barely caught Hayley's tall and narrow frame disappearing around the corner of the hall. He relaxed at the sight of her safely back except he didn't show it enough for anyone to notice.

"Oh my. Did I say something?" Kol jokingly asked rhetorically. Even if he realized he'd upset her, he wouldn't do anything to show that he cared. He never intended for his comment to bother Hayley. In all honesty, it was his messed up way of saying he was glad she didn't die.

"And why wasn't I informed that they took her?" Klaus asked Elijah angrily. Elijah's eyes flickered away from where Hayley disappeared, to Finn and Sage, silently accusing them of confessing.

"Oh, I figured it out for myself. Thank you." Klaus growled. "Rebekah comes into the grill looking for Hayley and when I call both of them a few minutes later, neither pick up their cell phones. It really wasn't that hard to grasp."

"We should burn the bridge…before they've realized I told you about it." Sage interrupted. She knew just as well as anyone that the originals could spend the entire night arguing amongst one another. And she wanted any threat to Finn to be destroyed immediately.

"Alright then. Have at it!" Klaus snapped as if he was going to rip out her heart for even speaking directly to him. "Take Bekah with you. I'm sure she'd enjoy it." Then he realized that she seemed to be missing. "Where is our little sister?" He looked at his oldest brother for the answer.

"I sent her on a personal task of mine. Do not concern yourself." Elijah said it so casually that Klaus wouldn't question his honesty. He started for the stairs. But Klaus put on a hand on his chest, stopping him. Elijah looked down at the hand like he would rip it off its wrist.

"One day you will have to admit that there are certain things you will never understand about her. It might as well be today." Klaus said it evenly. But his eyes were dark and filled with warning. "You may be the one meant for her, but there is still a side of her that is exactly like me." He waited for Elijah to attack him for his cruel and honest words. But Elijah just blinked before stepping away, completely lost in his thoughts. "Tell Rebekah to go with Sage since apparently you want to keep her whereabouts a secret for reasons I do not care for right now."

Elijah was about to laugh in his little brother's face for trying to give him a command. Those days were over and they had ended the moment he separated from Niklaus. But Elijah knew if he tried to defy him, questions about Rebekah's whereabouts would really come up. And nothing would throw Klaus into a tantrum more than a threat to his precious doppelgänger. But Elijah had no intention of releasing Elena any time soon. He was sick of the Salvatore brothers and their constant disrespect to the original family.

So Elijah didn't take another step up the stairs. Instead, he let Klaus go speak with Hayley while he watched from below, hating himself for allowing it. Once he saw his brother disappear around the hallway corner, Elijah turned on his heel and went out the front door without speaking to the rest of the group.

* * *

Klaus slowly opened Elijah's room to see Hayley rummaging through the room, not caring about the mess she was leaving behind. Her hair was up in a sleek ponytail and she was only wearing black running shorts and a dark grey sports-bra. Her toned abs and lean legs practically asking for a man's attention. Klaus just stood still with his arms crossed as he watched her continue to ignore his presence.

"Hayley." He said sternly, but still gentle.

"I don't have any running shoes…" She instantly answered as if she had started the conversation. "Or my iPod. I keep forgetting that none of my stuff is here." Hayley didn't look at him as she spoke, just continued to look around the room even though she knew she wouldn't find any of it.

"What are you doing?" Klaus sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I'm going for a run." She retorted.

"No you're-"

Hayley was in front of him in a blink of an eye. She was finally looking at him. "I don't want to talk to you. I don't want to talk to anyone. So whatever you planned on discussing with me before coming in here…it's not gonna happen." She tried to shove past him, but Klaus roughly grabbed her by the arm.

"Stop being dramatic, Hayley."

She instantly ripped her arm away. "Damon and Stefan think they found some way to kill you!" Hayley yelled without meaning to. "How's that for dramatic?" She added in a whisper.

"Yes, I know." Klaus tried to sound bored. "Sage informed us of the second white oak tree that grew in replacement to the one we burned down. The Salvatores have all the lumber records. It was used to build the Wickery Bridge. Rebekah and Sage are about to burn it down as we speak. Damon has no idea that Sage deceived him." He quickly added all the details after seeing the horror and confusing in her face when he said he already knew about everything.

"Sage…" Hayley muttered to herself. But her anger and frustration hadn't depleted in the least bit. Finn's love had caught her eye as soon as she saw her. That was when Hayley remembered the woman who she'd been staring at before the Salvatores took her. Although their hair was the same color, the length was completely different along with their facial structure and figure.

Hayley took in a deep breath, proving that everything he just said wouldn't stop her from leaving. She started for the door again but Klaus blocked her path at a supernatural speed. "You're not going anywhere, Hayley. Don't be a fool. You know everyone in this mansion is stronger than you are." He explained to her in a threatening tone.

"So what, you're going to kill me so I don't leave?" She challenged.

Klaus groaned at her stubbornness. "Fine. If you must have it your way…but you are taking two of my hybrids with you."

"I don't need a fucking babysitter." She snapped, her eyes at the ground.

"Well, I'm sure Elijah would disagree. If he finds out I let you leave the mansion, I will have to worry about another person wanting to kill me." Klaus pined.

Hayley narrowed her eyes and took a step toward him. "Don't try and pretend like you care what Elijah thinks of you." She was trying to push him to get so angry that he would just stop caring altogether what she did with herself. Hayley wanted space. She needed it, even if it was for an hour or two. Everyone was worried about her safety. Everyone thought she couldn't handle herself. Klaus was the only one that ever risked putting her into danger because he wanted her to be stronger.

Hayley took another step close. Only an inch separated their faces. "I got out of there by myself. I snapped Damon's neck and locked him in the cellar. And I would've got past Stefan perfectly even if Elijah hadn't intervened. When will your family realize I'm not the one who needs to be saved?" Without realizing it, she'd made a reference to what Esther had asked her to do. Hayley's eyes stared out blankly as she tried to recall the conversation with the original witch.

Klaus swallowed deeply, realizing that his throat was dry. "I know." He opened his mouth to say that her safety scared him just as much as it scared Elijah. But he couldn't. He raised a hand to just touch her, hoping the contact would tell her all the things he couldn't say. Except Hayley stepped away from his skin, practically flinching away. Klaus pretended like he didn't notice.

Hayley stared at him. Her eyes were filled with wretchedness and almost hopelessness. "You know what's worse than having a weak spot, Nik?" She stopped, actually giving him time to answer. But Klaus just waited patiently through her abuse. "Being someone's weak spot." She confirmed. Her head shook slowly before she moved around Klaus. "I'm going for a run."

* * *

Elijah looked down at the hole in the ground he had created. Human eyes would only be met with darkness. But he was able to see the details below with his vampire sight. Elijah looked around, looking for anyone who could possibly be around. It was simply a precaution. He probably would have heard them before he saw them. In one graceful step, Elijah jumped down and landed gracefully on the dirt floor of the cavern. He listened for his sister but he ended up hearing Elena's heart first. It wasn't beating in a panic, but it wasn't relaxed either. In a second, Elijah was standing next to Rebekah. Elena jumped at his quick appearance.

"Please, let me go, Elijah. I'll talk to them about letting her go." The doppelgänger begged. Rebekah rolled her eyes at the pleading and crossed her arms to wait for Elijah's response.

"That will not be necessary." Elijah replied calmly. He turned to his sister and whispered for her to leave with Sage and burn down the bridge. Meanwhile, he would watch Elena. There was no way she could hear what he was saying. She tilted her head and appeared worried about their conversation. She began wondering if they were discussing how they would kill her.

"I'll see you soon, Elena." Rebekah with charm that made Elena scared. "Or…maybe I won't." She added with a giggle as her fingers shook a goodbye wave. And she disappeared into the tunnels of the cave in seconds.

Elena backed against a wall and slid down it until she was sitting. Her knees at her chest and her hands wrapped around them, she looked defeated. Elijah watched her while she wasn't paying attention to him. He didn't want to kill her. But he taking her was the best way to get his message across to the Salvatores and everyone else in Mystic Falls.

"Klaus will kill you when he finds out you murdered me." Elena said as her doe eyes stared up at him. Then she rested her head back against the rocky wall.

Elijah didn't want to speak with her at first. But a short surge of guilt over came him. He'd already put Elena through so much and betrayed her trust. "Well, my brother is uninformed of your whereabouts or even that I took you. And who said anything about killing you?"

Elena's eyes flickered to his again. "Rebekah did."

Elijah really didn't know what he would do with her. He couldn't kill her. Even if he wanted to, he knew that he couldn't actually do it. That would make him no better than Klaus. But he didn't want Elena to know that. So he let her believe she was waiting for her death. He just regarded her with a hard look, not giving her any sort of indication of what he would do. If he killed her, Klaus would stop at nothing for his revenge. And Hayley would never forgive him. But if by some miracle she did, Klaus would make it his mission to turn her against Elijah.

* * *

Hayley was sprinting through the woods at a human's sprinting pace. But being a vampire, it would take her days to get exhausted from it. Therapeutic running didn't have the same effect on her anymore now that she was supernatural. She needed to figure out a different sort of escape. But as soon as she started thinking of things, she heard a twig snap in the distance. She instantly went into predator mode. It was probably one of Klaus' hybrids. He must have sent one after her to make sure she didn't do anything stupid. But then there was another sound that came from right behind her. Hayley whipped around and instantly saw a woman staring back at her.

"You." Hayley whispered. It was the same person she saw before she was injected with vervain. There was no way she could forget that vibrant red hair. And now that she was closer, she saw that the woman's eyes were almost the same exact red as well. The woman had on a smirk as if she knew all the secrets in the world and Hayley was begging her for to reveal them.

"Are you going to tell me who you are? After all, you're the reason I was taken." Hayley said rudely. She wasn't in a better mood than when she left the mansion.

"If you weren't, you would never have spoken to Esther." The woman said calmly.

Hayley shifted her weight. Suddenly, she felt certain energy in the air. Her eyes narrowed on the woman. "You're a witch." She clarified. And a powerful one too, she thought. She'd never felt something like that before. It was like her magic lingered around her.

"My name is Genevieve. There is no need to tell me your name. I already know of you."

* * *

**Sorry if there were some typos/grammatical mistakes. I edited this really fast because I wanted to give you guys another chapter.**

**Let me know what you think :)**


	21. Part XXI

**A personal thank you to anyone who reviewed. I always read every single one. So thanks.**

* * *

Hayley came stumbling out of the woods. Her thoughts were anywhere but in the present. So much that she wasn't bothering where she was placing her feet. Logs and rocks continued to make her stagger as she finally saw the Mikaelson mansion in her view. As she stepped on the neatly mowed grass, her breathing was strained. She felt as if she was going to be sick.

Three of Klaus' hybrids were in the backyard, watching her. They usually kept hidden. It was like Klaus knew she didn't want to know about their existence. But now they were told to stop Hayley from leaving the mansion after she got back from her run. Klaus threatened to sever their heads himself if they failed to do so.

One of them saw the stress on her face and started toward her. There was a small streak of dirt on her face, scratches on her arms, and grime underneath her fingernails from her falling on the forest floor. The hybrid went to Hayley's side right as she stumbled to the ground again. It was like her knees were made of nothing. The hybrid caught her arm, steadying her before she could hit the grass.

"What happened?" He asked her softly.

"I need to find Elijah." Hayley gasped, her eyes tearing into his.

"You can't leave. Klaus' orders."

At that, she ripped her arm out of his grip. "I don't take orders from him." She practically spat her words in his face. "This is an emergency. I'm going to find him." But the hybrid stepped in front of her. Hayley's eyes flickered to other hybrids that seem to come out of nowhere. They all watched her protectively but also in a way that they wouldn't shy away from a fight if that's what it took to stop her.

"But we do." The hybrid urged.

"Where's Klaus? Where are any of them? Please, let me go find them. Their lives depend on it. They're in danger." The words were flying out of her mouth. She was desperate for them to understand the importance.

The hybrid looked at her with sympathy. Unlike his ruler, he felt sorry taking away someone's free will. "They aren't here. I'll send someone to find them. But you have to stay at the mansion."

Hayley shook her head before he was even finished. "No. I need to go." But her confidence about convincing them was started to falter. She looked around at all the hybrids and knew they could stop her.

"Hayley…" The hybrid said so kindly it made her look at him. "Klaus gave us strict orders. All of us will be in danger if we disobey him…even if we don't mean to. You leave, we die."

Hayley put her hands on top of her head. She couldn't go. She would never put their lives at risk because of her stubbornness. And she knew he was telling the truth. After a second, she nodded her head. "Tell them their in danger. Get them as quickly as possible." She waited as the hybrid immediately did as she asked, sending five of the many hybrids to go and get each of the original siblings.

"Do you have a phone?" She asked him desperately.

He handed her the one from his pocket. Hayley instantly dialed Elijah's number. But it went to voicemail right away. Her eyes widened in panic. "It's off." She gasped. Was she too late?

The hybrid, who Hayley had heard the others call Adrian, took in a deep breath. "Or it just can't get service." He tried to reassure her. Hayley nodded blankly, trying to even consider the idea.

She looked down at the cellphone again and dialed Klaus' number. It picked up on the second dial. "This better be important Adrian." She heard his voice practically groan in annoyance.

"Nik! You need to come back to the mansion right now!" Hayley sputtered into the phone. For some reason, she hadn't expected him to pick up the phone either.

"Hayley, what's happened?" His voice instantly changed at hearing hers. And what he really wanted to ask was if she were safe.

"You have to come home right away." And as if she knew he wouldn't understand the life or death aspect of the situation she added, "YOU'RE LINKED. ALL OF YOU ARE LINKED! IF ONE OF YOU DIES, YOU ALL DIE!"

"Who told you this?" Klaus answered after a moment of trying to understand how any of that could possibly be true. But he didn't see it as a great threat. Even if they were connected, the only thing anyone could do was dagger his siblings. He'd put together that the Salvatore brothers must have stolen the last dagger the night of the ball. That was the only weapon they had. After all, Sage and Rebekah had burnt down the bridge.

"It's complicated…" Hayley said in a softer tone. "Just please come home. Is Elijah with you?"

"No. I have no idea where he is. But Kol is. We'll be back in a minute or two." Klaus tried to comfort her. But all his efforts were wasted. If Elijah wasn't with him and he wasn't answering his phone, Hayley couldn't stop from imagining the worse. She once believed he was dead and she didn't think she could go through that again. Hayley hung up the phone and gave it back to Adrian who now looked at her seriously after hearing what all the panic was about.

"Come on." Adrian said as he gestured toward her. "Let's get you cleaned up. All you can do is wait now." Hayley just nodded, her mind on everything besides how gross she probably looked. They walked toward the mansion. With the news of people trying to destroy the originals, the hybrids that were left to look around the perimeter at ready.

As soon as Hayley and Adrian stepped into the mansion, a sound caught her attention. She looked at the hybrid with accusation in her eyes. "I thought you said they were all gone." Her allegation seemed to make him uncomfortable and guilt was written all over his face. Hayley glared at him and started walking toward the sound she had heard. She stopped at the double doors that lead to the mansions ballroom. Her hands lingered over the handle and she turned to face Adrian, trying to see if she truly wanted to know what was behind those doors. He shook his head with a last effort at making her change her mind.

Hayley threw open the doors and her mouth immediately dropped when she looked at the scene in front of her. Damon Salvatore was hanging from hunting traps. His black shirt was unbuttoned, allowing her to see slices all across his bare skin that trickled blood. There was a tarp underneath him. Even with all the gore, the originals still kept a level of sophistication. Rebekah turned as soon as the doors were thrown open. Hayley looked back and forth between the two vampires.

"What the hell is going on?" She accused Rebekah.

"Oh, don't mind me, sweetheart." The original said charmingly to her as if the setting were the most normal thing in the world. "I know you and Elijah have missed a lot of the petty drama that goes around this trifling town. Let me fill you in." Rebekah stepped toward Damon with a small knife in her hand. "Damon tricked me into sleeping with him." Rebekah cut his stomach. "Sage stole my thoughts." She cut his throat. "Then she deceived Damon on her loyalties." She jabbed the knife into his side. "That's how she found out about Wickery Bridge. Then she told us and together we burned down the weapon that could kill our family."

Hayley looked absolutely disgusted. Her eyes met with Damon's. She tried so hard not to show any sympathy or remorse but it was so clearly placed on her face. "Rebekah…" She whispered but wasn't able to say anything else to the original.

"I'm draining the vervain from his system." She said to Hayley with a look of triumph. "And then…that's when the fun begins. I think I'll compel him to kill his brother. Oh wait, no! I'll force him to kill Elena in front of Stefan and then he'll kill him too."

Hayley shook her head, her mouth still slightly open and her eyes wide. "Rebekah…you can't-you can't do this." But her sympathetic resistance fell on deaf ears.

"I don't think you really have a say, Hayley." The original said with her head tilted and a smirk on her lips. She walked over to Hayley and handed her the knife, the blade dripping with Damon's blood. "Here!" She said enthusiastically. "You have a go while I go find a bigger knife. I'm growing rather impatient." And Rebekah started toward the door. But she stopped and looked at Hayley. "I think we both know what would happen if you tried to release him." She raised an eyebrow as if to prove that she wouldn't hesitate to rip out Hayley's heart.

Adrian seemed to catch his cue to leave too. He saw how Hayley looked at Damon. She wouldn't leave the mansion now that she knew what was going on there. He followed Rebekah out and shut the door. Hayley instantly turned back to the older Salvatore. She was completely unsure of what to do. Her first instinct was to let him go. But he was the reason the originals were linked together. And he was also the one that took her. In fact, Damon had done a lot to her and the people she loved. But the urge to save her was still what controlled her instincts.

Hayley slowly walked toward Damon. Each footstep was completely silent. When she was only a foot away, he slowly lifted his head to stare at her. He looked completely exhausted. The parts of his skin that weren't covered in blood had a layer of sweat. But through all his pain, Damon still had his arrogant smirk hardly staying on his mouth.

"I must admit that I was impressed with your escape from the cellar. I guess I shouldn't underestimate you anymore." He whispered.

"I-I can't help you Damon." Hayley said almost pathetically. "Even though you don't deserve it." She heard Rebekah's heels heading back to the room. Damon seemed to also. His eyes seemed to get back a little light. He'd thought of something.

"Hayley," He said immediately. "Elijah took Elena. He took her because we had you."

"What?" She gasped.

"I found out where she was just before Rebekah attacked me. The caverns. He's keeping her there."

Rebekah was close now.

Hayley took a few steps closer and was now right in his face. "Why should I help you?" She growled. Rebekah opened the door. "After taking advantage of me, linking the originals, daggering Elijah…why should I do anything for you?" The last bit of hope for Elena's rescue disappeared in Damon's gaze. Hayley grimaced and shook her head at him. She turned around to face Rebekah and crossed her arms.

The original heard the last bit of what Hayley had said to Damon and was satisfied that she had lost her pity for him. Before she could say anything, Klaus came storming into the room. With him, he was dragging Bonnie Bennett. His eyes fell on Hayley and then to Damon's hanging figure. "Well, well, well what have you caught, sister?"

Rebekah looked proud of herself. "Teaching him a lesson."

Klaus took a step toward Damon after shoving Bonnie in Hayley's direction. She caught her gently and lowered her head to the witch. "Are you okay?" She whispered genuinely. Bonnie was surprised by her kindness. She seemed to be one of the few people in Mystic Falls who hadn't talked to Hayley. Eventually, she nodded at the question.

Damon's head lifted a little to look at the original hybrid in the eye. "You are quite fortunate that my sister got to you first." Klaus murmured. "If I had, you would be suffering so much more. Especially after taking Hayley as if she were our sparkly toy. Consider yourself lucky." Hayley's jaw tightened as she overheard Klaus' words.

Klaus stepped away and smiled at his sister. "Why not turn him upside down? The vervain would leave his system much faster."

Rebekah sighed and cut Damon across the chest with the bigger knife she went to get. Damon let out gasp of pain. His heavy breathing soon followed. "Oh, Nik. He's my plaything. Let me do as I please." Rebekah answered her brother. Hayley shook her head, trying to hide her disgust.

"And her?" Hayley pointed at Bonnie. "Do you plan on torturing her as well?" She accused Klaus.

"Not if she cooperates. Bonnie here is going to undo her damage." He gave the witch a smirk that he knew would send chills down her spine. "If she performs the spell to disconnect my siblings and me, I promise I'll let her go unharmed."

Hayley looked at Bonnie, trying to measure up if the witch would do what was needed. Then Hayley raised her hands in surrender. "I clearly don't have a say in any of this. But I refuse to stand by and watch."

"We're doing what's necessary to survive, love." Klaus said to her. The use of the nickname that she'd reminded him multiple times that she despised earned him a glare from Hayley. She made a noise, showing how unbelievable he was being. But it worked into her plan perfectly. She left the room and no one followed her. The hybrids were all outside now.

If she moved fast enough, they wouldn't even notice that she left. And then no one else would know either, like Klaus. She still wore her running clothes: black running shorts, loose white tank top, and neon yellow Nikes. She took a deep breath and looked around the mansion one more time to make sure she wasn't being watched.

"Where are you off to?" A voice said from the catwalk above.

Hayley instantly turned and spotted Kol looking down at her. His presence could make her escape go either way. "Breaking a few rules and messing up some important plans." She said casually, praying that Klaus couldn't over hear them.

"Ah, see! That's why I like you!" Kol said with a smirk.

"Can you do me a favor…one rebel to another?" He raised an eyebrow at her offer. "Don't tell them I left?" She asked him nicely. He just watched her for a second. And Hayley thought he would rat her out right there. But then Kol gave her his infamous and mischievous grin. He nodded his head as he leaned on the banister. Hayley smiled back at him and then it disappeared. "And…" She hesitated, not sure how to say what she wanted. "I won't tell you to stay here. But…just be careful, okay?"

Kol seemed to smile even more. "Likewise, Hayley. This family would be even more of a bore if you got a stake through the heart. Plus, 'Lijah and Nik would probably be crying like babies for the rest of eternity."

Hayley couldn't help but shake her head and let out a light laugh at how blunt he was being. Then she gave him a nod and a small wave before racing out the door at vampire speed.

Lucky for Damon, she knew where the cavern was. Elijah brought her there one of the days he forced vampire training onto her. It was one of the few moments where he gave her a break. Instead of trying to throw stakes at her, he had paused and told her stories of growing up on the very ground they had been standing on then.

It only took Hayley a few minutes to get there. She stopped and looked around, trying to find where Elijah could have hidden Elena. That was when her eyes spotted a hole in the ground. It was completely accessible to any vampire. But for a human, it would be impossible to jump down without breaking their legs or climb out if they somehow survived the fall. Hayley took a deep breath before hopping down. She landed on her feet and closed her eyes to listen for her heartbeat. She instantly located it. If it weren't for her supernatural hearing, Hayley would have surely gotten lost in the tunnels.

She saw a light coming from a small nook in at the end of one tunnel. Candles had been lit inside and her vision was able to spot Elena sitting on the dirt floor, her knees at her chest. Hayley walked forward. But just as she reached the opening, some sort of invisible wall stopped her. Elena spotted her and jumped at seeing someone.

"It's magic." The doppelgänger noted. "You can't get in."

"I guess you'll just have to come out."

"Yeah, okay." Elena mocked her.

Hayley sighed. "Listen, I'm here to get you out. Not to hurt you." Her hands were on her hips, making her give off even more of an attitude. She observed Elena to see she was apprehensive. "Look…I don't have time for any of this. I really don't give a fuck if you trust me or not. Do you want to get out of here or not?"

Elena took a few steps toward the invisible barricade. "I thought they took you. Isn't that why Elijah brought me here in the first place?"

"They did. But I go out. I never knew you were here." She gave her as few details as possible. A deep exhale escaped her. She glanced behind her, half expecting Elijah to be behind her. But the tunnels were still as dark and empty from when she'd arrived.

Elena was just barely an inch from the barrier, eyeing Hayley. "Why are you saving me?" She asked quietly.

Hayley narrowed her eyes and shook her head. "You still don't get it do you?" Her hands fell from her hips before she change her tone. "Just because I love him and I care about his family doesn't mean that I am one of them. If you can recall, Stefan's the only reason I'm even a vampire."

Her answer was honest and to the point. It caused Elena to let out a gasp of breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding in. She nodded and finally took a step out of her protected bubble. Without waiting for her, Hayley quickly walked back the direction she came. She didn't bother looking behind her to see if Elena was following. The little brunette had to jog to keep up with Hayley's long legs.

At a human's pace, it took a little longer than before to find the opening. Hayley stopped and bent her head back to look up at the sky. It was starting to get dark. Soon the sun would be past the horizon. Even though she hid it well, Hayley worried about Elijah's safety. If he wasn't making sure Elena was kept hidden, where was he? Hayley looked at Elena who seemed rather nervous as she looked up at the opening as well.

Without giving her any warning, Hayley grabbed Elena and jumped straight up to the opening. It was easy, even with a human in her grasp. The moment she landed softly on the ground, Elena didn't take it as gracefully. The doppelgänger stumbled out of Hayley's grip and quickly fell to her knees on the rough forest floor.

"Come on. We have to leave before anyone comes back." Hayley said without any sensitivity. She didn't know how long Elena had been down there. It was probably only a little bit longer than she had been locked in the Salvatore's cellar.

Elena seemed confused. "Anyone as in Elijah or Rebekah?" Hayley just nodded. "But…don't they know you're here? Didn't they send you?"

"No. I came on my own." She responded without looking at her, already walking through the forest. Elena jogged to catch up once again.

"Then how did you know where to find me?"

Hayley barely slowed her step. "It was Damon…Damon told me they had you here."

Elena instantly stopped walking, her mouth dropped. "They have Damon?" She gasped loudly. "I have to go get him!" She started walking in a different direction than Hayley had been taking her as if she knew where she was even going.

Hayley rolled her eyes and grabbed Elena's arm roughly. The uneven gesture caused Elena to look slightly alarmed. "I don't like you, Elena. And neither you nor I can do anything to help him. I don't know why I'm even helping you. But it would all be a waste of my time if you went on some stupid suicide mission and got yourself killed."

Elena shook her head. But it took her a moment to figure out her next defense. Hayley's frankness had caught her off guard. "Klaus won't kill me…he won't let anyone kill me." She defended desperately.

Hayley made a noise at how superior Elena believed she was in the eyes of the original hybrid. "Yeah, probably. But it will only make him kill Damon even faster. Besides, it's not Klaus that has him. It's Rebekah." But she shook her head at Elena. "We can't do anything."

"How can you just stand by as they kill people?" Elena yelled.

Hayley stepped closer. She looked down at her from the great height difference between them. "You think I like watching people get killed? You think this is what I wanted? Nik killed one of my friends. Elijah almost killed Stefan earlier today when he found me. This is never what I wanted. I'm trying to stop them from destroying what humanity they have left."

Elena's heart was racing from Hayley's rising anger. And Hayley could hear it too perfectly. "Then why are you with them?" She whispered.

Hayley wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of even answering. But she believed she owed it to herself. Recently, she'd been asking herself the same question. "Because I love them…even after all of the things they've done." Hayley's voice softened. "But who are you to judge?" She challenged. And without waiting for Elena's response, she led her further into the woods. Eventually the trees became thinner and Hayley stopped as their feet touched the dark pavement of the road.

"You should have reception now. I don't have a car. You can call someone to come get you." Hayley stated without glancing at her.

"Why do you hate me so much?" Elena asked so sincerely that it forced Hayley to look at her.

She observed the doppelgänger closely. Wondering if she should lie or if the truth could do the human girl some good. "Because you're at the core of all of this. Even if you can't help it, you're the cause. And I guess you're just the type of girl I've always disliked."

Elena crossed her arms. "And what type of girl am I?"

Hayley took a step closer. "Fragile and over-emotional…but everyone just seems to be in love with her despite it. People are always pathetically attracted to the girl that constantly needs saving." Her words seemed to hit something deep within Elena, for her eyes started filling with tears. It only proved Hayley's point further. But Hayley didn't comfort her or even give the doppelgänger a look of sympathy. Her jaw just tightened as she turned to leave her.

"Hayley," Elena said quickly through her emotion. "Thank you." But Hayley just looked at her impassively before disappearing into the forest at vampire speed. Elena wiped her wet cheeks with the back of her hand as soon as she was sure that she was completely alone. She looked down at her phone and contemplated calling Stefan or anyone to come get her. But she shoved the cell phone in her pocket and decided to walk instead.

Hayley made it back to the mansion in a few minutes. She hoped no one noticed she had left. Guilt would overwhelm her if any of the hybrids were punished for her being gone. Maybe if she was lucky, Kol had made sure her disappearance went unnoticed. She turned to slowly close the door so quietly that even the supernatural couldn't hear it.

But when Hayley turned around, she jumped when Kol was standing just a foot away from her. "I must say, even for a vampire, your senses aren't very sharp." He said with a smirk.

"Right." She shrugged. "Did anyone-" But she stopped when he instantly shook her head. "Has Elijah come back? Or even called?" But Kol shook his head again. It was obvious he wasn't as concerned with his brother's whereabouts as she was.

"Look at it this way…if he were dead, the rest of our family would be too." He said brightly as if the idea of death didn't scare him at all.

"I guess that's one way to look on the positive side." Hayley muttered cynically under her breath.

Kol looked her up and down almost with displeasure. "What have you been doing, rolling around in the woods?"

Hayley took in a deep breath. It wasn't until then that she realized how mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausted she was. There was too much stress and furtively saving Elena had finally caused it to set in. It was like that witch had sucked all the energy from her. Hayley was dazing into nothingness as she tried to recall the exchange.

Kol instantly caught the change in her demeanor. His eyes narrowed. "Hayley, what happened to you today?" For once, his voice wasn't covered in puns and mockery. He genuinely wanted to know. It was the first time he showed concern for her.

"I promise I'll tell everyone. I just want to make sure you aren't all linked. It's too dangerous. There's no time to waste." Hayley told him through a hushed voice. Then she exhaled deeply and looked down at herself. He was right to judge her appearance so severely. Her knees were spotted with blood, the only proof that she had been cut there before her body healed itself. Her white tank top had a few grass stains. And the bottoms of her Nike's were covered in mud and dirt. "I think I'm going to take a shower. Maybe it will take my mind off of all this." She added the last part almost pathetically.

"I'll let you know if anything changes." Kol said through a grin.

"Really? You need an excuse to barge into the bathroom while I'm in the shower? I thought worse of you, Kol." Hayley tried to sound lighthearted. But it was becoming rather difficult.

But Kol winked at her anyways as she turned to go upstairs.

* * *

**Sorry for any typos/grammatical errors. I edited this super fast. **


	22. Part XXII

**Thank you! Enjoy :)**

* * *

Hayley was drying her hair with a towel and walking around her and Elijah's designated bedroom. She was about to put clothes over her grey lace underwear and bra when she glanced at the corner of the room where her suitcase sat. Elijah hadn't had time to get her an entire new wardrobe. He only got her the necessities. But Hayley still managed to make a mess of the corner, shirts and pants thrown around it. Then she looked around and realized that she had made a clutter of the entire room. Elijah would have kept it in perfectly neat condition if he had been. But there were more dire things at the top of his priorities, like making sure Hayley was alive.

Without even thinking, she started cleaning up the large and extravagant room. After all, they were still guests in Niklaus' mansion. But she didn't ignore that this was a desperate attempt to get her mind off the fact that all of the originals were in danger and Elijah was still nowhere to be found. As she was bent over to pick up a pair of shoes, her back was to the door. She instantly heard someone's entrance. But she stopped herself from getting excited with the hope of it being Elijah. Hayley knew his footsteps and these did not belong to him. They were right behind her now, clearly trying to sneak up on her. She pretended to be ignorant of their presence. Then, when she could practically feel their breath on her neck, she whipped around and latched her hand around their throat. Hayley slammed them to the ground. Her eyes barely widened in surprise when she realized it were Kol.

"Guess I'm not as easy to sneak up on as you thought." She said softly. Without trying, one of her eyebrows rose at the comment.

Kol had a giant smirk on. "Maybe I should let you pin me down more often." He sighed at her with a spark in his eyes that expressed his seductive meaning. He didn't try to be discreet as his eyes went up and down her body. Hayley glanced down, realizing she was straddling him to the floor while she'd forgotten that she was only wearing her underwear. She shook her head and quickly moved off him with embarrassment.

But as soon as she was standing back up, Kol pushed her into the corner of the room. It caught her off guard. For a moment, she thought she'd upset him by attacking him. But then she read his face and saw no anger written on it. Instead, there was amusement. Then she saw the dominance. His chest was just barely touching her own. And even with Hayley's height, she still had to look up to make eye contact with Kol. He wanted her to understand that he was the alpha here. She had no control. If he so wished, he could take her right now. He didn't have feelings for her. If anything, he liked what he saw in only a lustful way. But was it really so surprising after he'd been locked in a coffin for almost a century? Kol smirked, seeing that she was seeing his point.

He stepped back and Hayley let out a slow and silent exhale. "Is there a reason you came up here Kol? Or were you just bored as usual?" Her voice was deep from the little surge of fear that had shocked her just a moment ago. But now she was trying to regain her normal bearing.

"Nik successfully broke the link. We are separate once again." Kol said with that mischievous gleam still in his eyes.

Hayley became relieved, but then another thought occurred. "And Bonnie…did-"

"The witch is fine." He added, bored and slightly annoyed with her concern.

Then a figure appeared in the doorway. Hayley looked over Kol's shoulder to see Klaus glaring at his brother. She looked back at the younger Mikaelson and could tell that Kol sensed his brother's presence without even turning around.

"What's going on?" Klaus asked them, but his glare still tore into Kol's back. He expected him to answer.

"Oh, nothing." Kol responded still looking avidly at Hayley. "I was just sharing the good news of our connection being broken." Then his voice lightened. "What a dread it would have been, allowing all of your dooms to affect me." He smiled at Klaus before leaving the room as if it wasn't strange at all how his brother had found them.

Hayley watched Kol exit and then her eyes went to the floor, refusing to meet Nik's questioning gaze. He looked at her. But in a completely different way than Kol just had. Klaus' gaze was filled with concern and a little anger. She walked past him and hastily grabbed a t-shirt and leather leggings, now feeling uncomfortable. Klaus didn't bother asking her what had happened. She wouldn't tell him the truth anyway; just shrug it off as usual.

"If he bothers you again, you will tell me _immediately_." He growled.

"Why would Kol bother me?" Hayley instantly responded, pretending to be oblivious. "What would you do anyway? Dagger him again?"

"Well, it turns out Damon Salvatore stole the only dagger I had left." He stepped toward her. "You see… all the vervain is out of his system. I could ask him anything and force him to tell the truth now. It makes things quite easier." Then he smirked at her. "We could have some real fun with him if you'd like."

Hayley narrowed her eyes. "Sorry. But I'd rather find Elijah then torture someone. I know it's shocking." Then she saw Nik's playful smile vanish. She crossed her arms and stepped towards him. "Does it really not bother you at all that Elijah and Finn are basically missing? Don't you care?" She could tell that her accusations were making him uncomfortable. But it didn't stop her. "Just as long as it doesn't affect you, right?"

"Don't start, Hayley." He warned her. But she rolled her eyes and walked past him out of the room. She went downstairs. Her feet started toward the front door and that's when she decided to go look for Elijah herself.

But she stopped abruptly when she walked past the doors of the ballroom where Damon was being kept. There was no way they would let him go. Hayley took in a deep breath and quickly walked toward the doors. She shoved them open. The lights were lower and the sun was starting to set, so the room was no even gloomier than before. Damon's seemed to have dropped his head even more than before. The pool of blood had spread further on the plastic tarp. But it seemed like he had been left alone to suffer.

Hayley started to believe he was passed out when he didn't respond to her entrance. A part of her wanted to tell him that she'd helped Elena. But another part of him wanted him to believe the worst had happened to her. Even if she did want to tell the truth, Hayley didn't know how to go about it without causing a scene or someone overhearing. She realized it was a mistake coming here to see Damon again. All it did was make her feel guilty and she didn't want to speak to him about Elena anyway. _But what if they kill him and he dies believing he couldn't save the girl he loved,_ she thought. But Hayley shook her head. She didn't have time for this. They wouldn't kill him tonight. That was too simple and easy. Both Rebekah and Klaus wanted him to suffer. But just when Hayley turned to leave, she was facing Rebekah. She let out a little gasp at seeing the original.

"You helped her, didn't you?" The original snapped at her.

Hayley took a step backward and heard the chains moving behind her. Damon must have woken up from his blackout. "Helped who?" She responded quickly. If she hadn't been so surprised by Rebekah's entrance, she would have sounded more convincing. After all, she was a brilliant liar.

"Elena!" She said, taking an aggressive step toward Hayley. "What were you doing in here? Going to save him next?" She gestured toward Damon. "You found Elena and brought her back to them. There's no way it could have been Elijah."

Hayley gained her courage. Rebekah might be an original. But she believed she'd give a good fight. Out of all the originals, their sister was the one she was sure that she didn't fear. "Even if I did, what are you gonna do about it?" She whispered angrily. Then she shoved past Rebekah who looked like she wanted to rip out her hair.

Hayley was breathing heavily as soon as she stepped outside. That mansion was slowly making her lose her mind. Why were they always trying to kill someone? And why was someone always trying to kill the originals? Klaus should just leave Mystic Falls. Screw the doppelgänger. Just leave. Everything would be easier without a threat constantly hanging over his and his family's head from the Salvatores.

Hayley stopped walking down the long driveway and realized she had no idea where she planned on going. She wanted to look for Elijah, but she was completely lost on where to even start. If the hybrids couldn't find him, how would she? Hayley shook her head and decided downtown was a good place to start as any. Her hair was still damp from her shower and she threw it into a low and messy bun just to get it out of her way. She was only wearing black liquid leggings and a grey t-shirt that was slightly falling off one shoulder. Her white, high-top Converse shoes were quickly getting dirty from all the sand and gravel she was kicking up by walking down the mansion's long drive. She could feel her cellphone through her front jean pocket, practically begging it to ring. Her eyes slammed shut for just a moment before grabbing it and quickly dialing Elijah's number. There was no hurt in trying again. But she wasn't surprised when he didn't pick up. Except this time it hadn't gone straight to voicemail.

_He's moved._ She noted. _Or someone else has._ Her pessimism added.

Hayley took in a deep breath and shot toward town at supernatural pace. She stopped at a discreet spot so no one could see that she had just been moving at a speed no human could match. She came out through the shadows of an alley. The sun had set now and the sky was left with a dark purple tint. Hayley's eyes glanced around the town's square. Dozens of people were walking around, going in and out of shops. But her gaze seemed to linger on the grill longer than anything else. She knew that Elijah wouldn't be there. It wouldn't make sense. But Hayley wondered if she could see if any of the Mystic Falls residents, who weren't aware of the war going on, might have seen him. Or perhaps she could figure out if they were the reason he was missing.

Hayley walked into the grill with a determined expression. She wasn't there to mess around. Her eyes scanned for his familiar face. Meanwhile, girls gave her curious glances and boys had a steady eye on her long legs. Hayley didn't bother noticing either of them because she had spotted Finn and Sage sitting in a booth. Why hadn't he answered them when they called him a dozen times? Then she realized he probably had no idea how to work a cell phone. He undoubtedly didn't even have it with him. The two of them were on the opposite side of the grill. Hayley took a step in their direction but stopped when she saw a smile form on Finn's lips from something Sage had said. It was the first time Hayley saw him do so. Then she was further amazed as he let out a laugh. Her first reaction was to completely interrupt and yell at Finn for disappearing. But she couldn't help but become jealous of their ignorance to the risk him and his entire family was currently facing. Yes, Nik had forced Bonnie to break the binding spell. But that didn't mean the Salvatores had lost the weapon they claimed to have.

Hayley knew she had to intrude on Finn and Sage's alone time eventually. She let them take their second shot of tequila. But then she narrowed her eyes as they instantly spit it out as if they had drunk poison. She took a step toward them but had the slightest hesitation. Then she heard Finn spit out the word, "Vervain!" Hayley instantly knew it wasn't an accident that the herb was slipped in their shots. Her body went straight into hunter approach, looking for the cause. She spotted Stefan Salvatore in the doorway to the alley outside the grill. He wasn't paying her any attention. He was too busy raising his eyebrows at Finn and Sage, who had spotted him also.

The two tried to be discrete as possible as they rushed toward the door Stefan had just exited from. Hayley didn't follow them. Instead, she went right out the front entrance. Finn and Sage might be going right into a trap. Stefan hadn't seen her and she could completely catch him off guard by going to alley from the opposite direction. As soon as she was outside, she raced to the alley without caring who would see her. In the shadows and around the corner, Stefan leaned against the wall with a stake in his hand.

Hayley paused for a moment, looking for any back up he might have. But he seemed to be alone. That's when she heard the door open, Finn and Sage's shifty steps along with it. Stefan took a step around the corner as Finn walked past him. Hayley shot forward as she saw him raise the stake. Her hand reached for his arm with the weapon and just barely stopped his swing. The stake flew out of his grasp and down the stairs just a few feet away. Finn and Sage were aware of what was going on now. But Stefan adjusted to the third opponent quickly. With Hayley behind him and her arm still around his bicep, he grabbed her with his free hand and flipped her over his shoulder. She slammed hard to the cement ground on her back. But Stefan's grip was so tight and rough that he had also dislocated her shoulder and she'd heard a crack in her ribs. She hissed in pain, her eyes shut tightly from the agony as she grabbed at the shoulder with her hand. But she was able to hear someone else had tackled Stefan just feet away.

"Finn, the stake!" Sage yelled at him.

Hayley blinked up at the sky, trying to push the pain to the back of her consciousness. She looked over to see Finn stepping down the stairs, away from her vision. Somehow, she could already feel her body healing itself. Just a few more seconds and she'd be able to move. Stefan struggled against Sage's hold. But she had hundreds of years on him and it was useless. Hayley sat up so she could see down the stairwell and instantly regretted the movement when spikes of pain went across both her shoulder and ribs. A door at the bottom of the stairwell opened up and she immediately recognized Matt and Elena. The doppelgänger had a crossbow in her hand and rapidly shot a stake at Finn when he spotted them. She missed his heart, instead hitting his stomach. Finn let out a groan of pain. Hayley kneeled onto her feet, clenching her jaw through the pain. But just as Finn ripped out the stake, Matt came out of nowhere and rammed another on right into his heart.

Hayley wouldn't have believed what she saw had it not been for Sage letting out a shriek. She moved off of Stefan and raced down the steps. Matt and Elena had already retreated back inside like cowards. Hayley's eyes shot at Stefan. She charged at him, slamming him back onto the ground. He was stronger than her; she always had to remember that. So, as soon as she pinned her, she jammed her fist into his knee. He groaned in pain. Hayley allowed herself a glance at Finn. Sage was crying and whimpering with her knees at her chest. Then Hayley stepped off of Stefan in disbelief as Finn's body erupted into flames. The fire reflected across Hayley's blue-green irises as she stared, completely speechless. "No." She barely whispered. Stefan slowly got up and allowed himself one look at the dead original before disappearing. Sage crawled away from her lover's body as it became embedded in flames. Hayley just stood and watched in horror, unable to move or do anything to help. There was no way of helping. Finn was dead. He was gone forever.

It felt like hours before Hayley could finally wake up from her shock. She slowly went down the steps to Sage, trying to ignore Finn's burning body. "Sage, we can't do anything. Let's go." She said softly with a hand on her shoulder. But Sage didn't even acknowledge her. "I'm so sorry. But, Sage…we have to go. Please." Hayley urged further. She tried to pull her up slowly.

But Sage quickly broke away from her. "Don't touch me!" She snapped. Hayley put up her hands and backed away. Sage got up and went up the steps with a new determination. Troy, one of her prodigies, came running toward her. Hayley leapt up the stairs. She had to stay at Sage's side. It was obvious a new surge of rage had taken over.

"What happened?" Troy gasped, looking down at Finn's body.

"We're going to pay a little visit to the Salvatores." Sage growled.

Hayley's eyes widened. "What? No! Sage you can't!"

Sage finally looked at her. The light that had been in her eyes was replaced by hate and wrath. It was like she was a completely different person from the one Hayley saw laughing and smiling just a few minutes ago. "Oh, yeah? Watch me." Sage countered as she raised an eyebrow at the younger vampire. Then she regarded Troy. "Come on."

Hayley panicked as the two raced away. But she took in a deep breath and followed. With her speed, she easily caught up with them. She had to at least try and stop her from killing them. Enough death had happened in this stupid rivalry. No one else should die. Enough was enough.

They were at the Salvatore's boarding house in seconds. Hayley realized she'd only been there just that morning. Stefan was right outside, making his way toward the front door. Sage spotted immediately and grabbed him. "Sage, stop!" Hayley shot. But it was useless. The older vampire dragged Stefan toward the front of the house. She kicked open the door and flung him inside as if he was a rag doll. Hayley moved so she stood right behind Sage, who sauntered inside.

"Ding dong." She said darkly to Caroline and Elena. Caroline started toward her, but Sage already expected her. She backhanded the young vampire with enough force to knock her to the ground. "I'm not here for you." Sage snapped. Then she looked at Stefan who was still on the floor. "I'm here for him."

Elena, recognizing that she could do nothing, started toward the door so she could leave and find help. Troy came out of nowhere, blocking her exit. "I don't think so." He said casually. Elena then spotted Hayley over his shoulder. She looked just as panicked and worried as the doppelgänger. Hayley pushed past her and further into the house so she could see what terrors Sage would force.

"I meant to kill him, Sage." Stefan gasped in pain while he was still on his knees.

"Oh, you remember me!" Sage snapped in return as she kicked him in the ribs. "Good! Then you know I like to go all ten rounds!"

Hayley was about to yell at her to stop. But she noticed Sage started coughing and almost choking. Then she moved the back of her hand to her nose and saw that there was blood on it. "Sage?" Troy asked with concern as he held Elena back. Sage looked sickly, as if she'd caught a virus in the matter of seconds. Hayley didn't know what to do. She was lost on helping Sage kill Stefan or stopping her with the risk of Stefan killing her himself. Stefan seemed to catch on that there was something wrong with her. Sage threw a punch and Stefan caught it easily. Then he tossed her to the floor. That wasn't supposed to happen. He shouldn't be able to overpower her so easily.

"Troy, help me!" Sage gasped in between her cough ups of blood. Troy let go of Elena and took a step toward her only to start coughing in a fit himself. Elena, Stefan, Caroline, and Hayley watched in utter confusion at what was happening. But Hayley was horrified. It was obviously they were dying, but why?

"What…is…happening to me?" Sage stuttered as she lay on her back while her body pulsated in pain. Then her skin dried up and her veins could be seen through her new, pale skin. Hayley swore she saw the last shred of life disappear from her eyes. She slowly backed away towards the front door, her eyes never leaving Sage's dead body. The other three didn't even pay her any attention. They were too stunned from the two vampire's laying dead in front of them. Hayley looked at Sage on last second before racing away as fast as she possibly could.

* * *

"Where the bloody hell have you been?" Klaus almost shouted at Elijah. The eldest brother had just walked through the front doors and was instantly met with his half-brother and his angry defiance.

"My business is my own." Elijah replied darkly without looking at him.

This seemed to set of Klaus even more. He stepped closer, getting right in his brother's face. "It is when you go kidnapping my doppelgänger behind my back!" He snapped at him. "Rebekah let it slip when she was fuming about Hayley sneaking out and rescuing the girl herself."

Now Elijah's attention was caught. "Excuse me?" He asked quickly. It wasn't that Hayley had rescued Elena; it was that she'd found out about him abducting her. His eyes raced around the mansion. "Where is she?" Klaus took a step back and glowered with a tilt of his head. He didn't even want to tell him.

"Out searching for you." A voice said above, on the catwalk. Elijah's eyes snapped upward to see Kol. "She refused to stay here…thought you were in some kind of danger. I may be behind modern times, but I believe you're supposed to answer those cell phones." He said with a wink and smirk.

Elijah looked at Klaus, hoping Kol was fooling him. But the glare and small hint of worry were easily read in the hybrid's eyes. But just before Elijah could dread and leave immediately to find her, the front doors flew open.

Hayley slowly walked inside. Her eyes fell on Elijah and she hurried toward him. He met her halfway, enveloping her thin frame into his arms. Then he realized she was shaking. He pulled away, but his hands cupped her face still.

"Finn…he's-he's dead. I tried to help. I tried to-to save him." Hayley practically whimpered. Klaus' posture tightened when he heard what she said. And Kol's smirk was wiped off his face. He stopped leaning on the railing above and quickly walked down the stairs to join them.

"What are you talking about?" Elijah said softly.

"They ambushed them at the grill. I was there…looking for you. Stefan lured them to the alley. Matt, Elena, and him all had stakes. It happened so fast."

Klaus stepped even closer. "But it was just a stake. He didn't die."

Hayley's gaze flickered to him. "His body set on fire. There's nothing left of him." That's when he knew she was speaking the truth. He had seen it before…when he killed Mikael. When an original truly died, nothing remained of them. They were nothing but ash. Hayley looked back at Elijah. "Sage is dead too."

"They killed her too?" Kol asked.

Hayley stepped away from Elijah so she could address all of them. She looked into each and every one of their eyes. Then she took in a deep breath. "They didn't kill her." She whispered. "She just died. So did that guy she turned." The three brothers looked at each other, confused as to what it all meant. "I-I think when an original vampire dies, every one made from them dies too." Hayley whispered, terrified by her own theory.

"That's absurd." Kol commented, rolling his eyes at the drama. Elijah and Klaus simply looked at one another, silently communicating if her idea was even possible.

"What other explanation is there?" Hayley shouted from her frustration. "You didn't see! It was horrible! All of it happened so fast. She started coughing up blood and before anyone could figure out what was going on, both her and the vampire she made were on the floor dead!"

"Hayley…" Elijah started. His tone was trying to be comforting. It wasn't that he didn't believe her theory; he just thought she was in slight shock.

"Don't look at me like I'm crazy!" She shouted before he could say any more. "I know what I saw!" Then her relief from seeing him safe earlier disappeared as if it had never been there. "Where were you? You disappeared for hours!" She accused him angrily. Then her voice lowered and shook a little. "I thought they killed you…that something horrible had happened."

Elijah instantly became guilty. His shoulders dropped at her claims. Had the tables been turned, he would have flustered over finding her. He would have thought the worst had come just like she had.

"Were you too busy taking Elena to pick up your goddamn phone?" Hayley whispered heatedly before she started for the stairs. This time, Elijah wouldn't let Klaus stop him from following after her. If he had just talked to her before, everything would have been different. He wouldn't have left the mansion in anger. He wouldn't have kidnapped Elena. He wouldn't have done something stupid.

Hayley walked into their bedroom and stopped when she heard that Elijah had followed. With her back to the door, she closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "What would it have done, Elijah? Would killing her have made all of this any better?" She slowly turned around to face him.

"I never intended to kill Elena." Elijah said delicately.

"I don't believe you." She shushed.

"What do you want from me, Hayley?" He retorted sharply without meaning to as he walked closer. He couldn't take her judgment any longer.

"You're turning into everything they believe you are. What did you think you were doing…an eye for an eye? You're not this person, Elijah. You're not what your family's turned you into or what this town has." She pointed out to him softly.

"Well then who am I?" He challenged roughly.

Hayley ran her fingers through her hair while she stared at the ground. "I just…" Then she stopped and looked at him. Tears had filled her eyes. A couple slid down her cheeks. Elijah never hated himself more than seeing how beautifully sad she looked when she cried. Especially when she was crying all because of him. "I just want you to be the man who walked home an abandoned child…who gave a young girl a chance." She paused. "The one who saved me from myself."

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**I think I've become nocturnal.**

**This is weird.**

**Please review.**

**I really want to know what your thoughts were on this chapter.**

**Goodbye.**


	23. Part XXIII

**So sorry for my little hiatus. The next semester started and I have been super busy. So yeah...lol**

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"Hayley has something to share with us." Kol said with a smirk. He leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, while she sat on a fancy settee. Her knees were up to her chest with her arms wrapped around them. She was wearing baggy sweatpants that were Klaus' and a t-shirt she somehow got from Rebekah. The entire original family was staring at her. Elijah, who she had not spoken a word to since their argument in their bedroom, was standing a painful distance away with his hands in his pockets. He knew she was furious with him. It wasn't the first time. But for some reason, this time felt different than the others. Usually their little fights were petty and not to be taken too seriously. But now there seemed to be a danger lingering over their heads. Elijah couldn't help but think he was on a cliff's edge. At any moment he could drop over and his relationship with Hayley would no longer be set in stone like he once thought.

Klaus sat in a chair directly across from Hayley. He leaned forward with his forearms balanced on his knees. It made him look unconcerned for the trouble ahead, but that he was taking whatever Hayley had to say seriously. Meanwhile, Rebekah sat up straight with a lost look in her eyes. She seemed to be the only person hurt from the news of Finn's death. Either she was the only one incapable of hiding her grieving or she was really the only person that mourned her brother.

"I believe she is able to speak for herself." Klaus snapped at Kol. The youngest brother had deceived Hayley and told Klaus about her keeping secrets the moment she'd escaped to her bedroom.

"Your petty hybrids didn't tell you how they found her." Kol said casually with a grin. "Apparently, she came stumbling out of the woods and looked as if she had seen a ghost." Then his smile faltered a little and his eyes locked with Hayley's, narrowing. "She saw something out there... something which told her about the spell that linked us."

"You won't believe me." Hayley said softly. But they had to. There was no other choice. If they didn't, it could get them all killed. She didn't mean to, but after she said it, her eyes instantly went to Elijah's. And she hated how reassuring they were, that they told her he would trust everything she said. He would always side with her.

"You must tell us." Klaus stated firmly. She was glad for his comment. It allowed her to quickly look away from Elijah.

"I saw your mother. I talked to her." Hayley whispered. She feared if her voice went any louder, all of it would be harder for them to believe.

"That's impossible!" Rebekah snapped.

Hayley quickly glared at her. "Esther risked everything to even give me just a message. She came to me…after Damon snapped my neck and took me. It was like I was dreaming, but it all felt too real." Klaus leaned forward ever so slightly at what she said. Elijah shifted his weight. And Kol tried to appear like he had no interest but they all knew he did. Rebekah looked at her family, completely appalled.

"You can't honestly believe her?" She asked her brothers.

"She was the original witch, sister. We know, more than anyone, the power she possessed." Klaus shot right back at her. His change in temper made her sit back and make an infuriated face. Klaus looked back at Hayley and gave her a nod to continue.

The story she told them was a very filtered version. For some purpose, she didn't want to tell them about her prophecy. It felt personal and thinking about it still gave her anxiety. When she had completely cut ties with her parents at a young age, she vowed to be done trying to meet other's expectations. But this expectation put the people she loved at risk. Hayley told them of the spirits plan for them and how their mother couldn't do what was projected. She couldn't kill her own children.

Some time later, Hayley took a deep breath after she believed she was finished with everything. Klaus was no longer mentally present in the room. His eyes appeared glassy. And she had never seen him look so taken aback. He was the one who killed her. But after everything, she still risked everything to protect him. It didn't make sense. He always thought his mother never loved him. All this time, it changed him into the monster he had become. And it had all been completely misinterpreted.

"But this all occurred when the Salvatores took you." Kol said. "That doesn't explain what happened to you in the forest." Hayley winced a little at his observation. She thought they would all be overcome with the news of their mother that they would forget about the other part.

"That's enough, Kol." Elijah cut in surprisingly. "She's been through enough today. Not all of our questions need to be answered right now." He knew she wasn't as exhausted as he made it seem. But he could also see that she didn't want to talk about what else had happened. Hayley didn't even glance at him to give a thankful look. She stared at the ground and listened as he, Kol, and Rebekah left the room.

Then Hayley realized Klaus was still sitting in the chair a couple feet across from her, his eyes still completely distant. She watched him for a few seconds and comprehended he didn't even know she was still in the room. Slowly, she got up from her seat and carefully closed the small distance between them. Even with her right there, Klaus still didn't even blink. Hayley knelt down and grabbed his hands without thinking.

"She forgave you, Nik." Hayley whispered. Then his eyes finally met hers and were desperate for her to continue. "She wanted me to tell all of you that she loves you. But she said to make sure you understood most of all. After everything you did, she forgives you and will always love you." Hayley waited for him to show some sense of relief. But there was a beat of silence after she was done talking and then Klaus swiftly ripped his hands out of her own and left the room.

Hayley stared blankly for a moment, shocked by the reaction he had. She'd expected him to be released, that his guilt was finally gone after a thousand years. Minutes passed before she found the incentive to get off the floor and go to bed. The day had been the longest one in her life. Even being a vampire, she was absolutely drained. But she wanted to avoid going back to the bedroom, knowing Elijah would be there. She didn't want to forgive him yet. She couldn't.

_Don't be a coward, _said the voice in her mind. _You can't ignore him for the rest of your existence. You can't stay mad at him forever. You love him._

Hayley sighed and started toward the stairs. But she stopped just a few steps later when she heard a crackling in a nearby room. There was a fire stoking in one of the rooms she was by. Hayley followed her senses as they led her toward it. A minute later, she leaned against the doorframe as her eyes fell on Elijah. He sat in a chair just a few feet away from the fireplace, his back to the doorway she stood in. There was no way he overlooked her presence. But it seemed he was allowing her to decide if she wanted to even speak with him or not.

"Where were you, Elijah?" She never intended to come out so harsh and emotionless. He practically winced at it.

"Nowhere." His response came almost instantly.

Hayley made an incredulous noise and shook her head. "Right. Why would I ever expect you to be honest with me?" She remarked loudly. Elijah then turned to look at her as he stood up from the chair. Hayley glared at him before starting to move away from the doorway. Then she stopped and whipped around in anger, only to be face to face with him, proving that he was running after her.

"You know what's the worst part of this?" Her voice whispered shakily. She hadn't been expecting him to be so close to her when she said this. For a moment, she thought she wouldn't be able to anymore. "I'm able to look at you the way they do…Elena, Damon, Caroline, all of them. I never thought it would ever happen." Elijah's hurt was so readable. Hayley truly didn't understand the destruction of her words. She was always the one that assured him that he wasn't a monster, that he was so much better. But here she was, telling him she understood that there were two parts of him. She'd finally been truly exposed to his other side.

"And now that I do," She added in an even quieter whisper. "I just wish I didn't. More than anything, I wish I could only see you how I used to."

Elijah raised his hand to touch her cheek; feeling like this was some sort of goodbye. He felt as if she was going to leave right there. And if she was, he at least wanted to just graze her skin one last time. Hayley's eyes flickered toward his hand, glaring at it. It made him stop his motion in midair. "I was not anywhere. I was simply gone." The words sped out of his lips. He was so desperate for her to stop looking at him like he had completely betrayed her.

"What?" She asked with confusion.

"I was disgusted with myself, Hayley." He put his hands in the pockets of his pants and sighed, trying to figure out how he could explain it to her. "Elena…the way she looked at me. She thought I planned to kill her." Elijah glanced up to see Hayley narrowing her eyes. "I left." He said simply. "But I could not go back to you. I could not face you. I was too ashamed with my impulsiveness. I felt-" He stopped abruptly.

"Like Nik." Hayley offered almost too quickly. Elijah watched her for half a second before lowering his head. The aura of shame proved her guess was all too right. Seeing it made Hayley feel a sense of guilt. Even though he was in the wrong, even though she didn't want to forgive him, she still hated hurting him.

"Genevieve. That's what I saw in the forest." Hayley said quickly.

Her bold statement made Elijah's head snap up to stare into her eyes, measuring if she was being honest. But of course she was. He took a step toward her, closing the space between them. His hand quickly cupped her cheek and his eyes were desperately searching hers. It was as if he were trying to see into the past and find out if the dark witch had harmed her.

Without meaning to, Hayley placed her hand on top of Elijah's as it grasped her cheek urgently but still gently. She opened her mouth to assure him Genevieve hadn't harmed her in any way. Scared her, yes, but never actually hurt her.

But before she could tell him, both their vampire hearing caught the front door open. Hayley looked in the direction of the noise even though she couldn't see them from where they were in the house. Then she glanced back at Elijah. He brought his hand quickly down from her cheek only to grasp her hand tightly. He started toward the sound but obviously placed his body in front of Hayley's protectively as he led her. Elijah stopped in the doorway to the ballroom. His tall and broad frame blocked Hayley from seeing who stood inside. But she could sense the other's presence.

"You are an utter fool. If you had any thoughts of leaving here alive, you have my word that you won't." Elijah said calmly to the intruder. But the threat caused a chill to go up Hayley's spine. She tried to walk around him to see for herself. But Elijah moved his arm out, just barely, to stop her. When she looked at him accusingly, his eyes stayed glaring darkly at Stefan Salvatore.

The younger vampire had a black duffel bag in his hands as he turned to meet Elijah's gaze. "Klaus! I'm here! Let's do this!" Stefan yelled, promising that the hybrid would hear him no matter where he was in the mansion. Klaus and Rebekah came out of nowhere and walked around Elijah and Hayley.

"Oh, good! A hero." Klaus said darkly as he walked into the room. It disturbed Hayley how different he acted from just a few minutes ago when she had told him about his mother. But it just bothered her even more knowing that's why they were friends. They were both good at hiding. They were both good at pretending.

Kol then came in, wanting to watch the spectacle too. This only encouraged Hayley to follow. But Elijah stopped her once again, this time stepping to face her and blocking the view inside the room. "Hayley, this is not your war." He declared quietly.

"It is whether either of us like it or not. I'm connected to you…_all of you_." She quickly replied. He had a grip on her shoulder to push some sense into her that now loosened as she argued. She ripped away from his hold and stood in the room, some distance behind Rebekah and Klaus. Elijah followed, realizing that he wouldn't convince her to leave the room. He now closely stood next to her.

"What could you possible want? You already killed my dear brother, Finn. And his lover as Hayley claims." Klaus said casually. The mention of her made Stefan's eyes flicker to Hayley ever so swiftly.

Stefan dropped the duffel bag toward Klaus. "I'm here to make a deal."

"Stefan…what are you doing?" Damon was barely able to speak. He was so weak and injured. It shocked Hayley that he was even conscious. She watched him, trying to hide her pity for him. Elijah must have noticed, since he placed a hand on the small of her back for some sort of comfort.

"Eight stakes made of white oak, the part of Wickery Bridge you forgot to burn." Stefan explained as he ignored his older brother's pleas.

Klaus rushed forward and grabbed Stefan by his throat, holding him just a few inches off the ground. Kol and Rebekah remained calm at their brother's lightning speed spontaneity. But Hayley tried to stop it. She didn't like Stefan. In fact, she hated him just as much as the originals did right now. But there had been enough death. No more. Finn and Sage were dead. How many more had to die in order to stop the madness?

Elijah grabbed her by the upper arm. She tried to fight his pull. It only caused him to wrap his arms around her in a cage, her back pressed to his chest. "Leave it." He hissed into her ear. All the others were too busy paying attention to the exchange to notice the two's outside struggle.

"Why shouldn't I simply kill both of you right now?" Klaus said as Stefan struggled underneath his hold. "You're both here. The stakes are laying right in front of me, just asking me to take them without making a deal with you imbeciles."

"Because she'll hate you if you do." Stefan gasped. Klaus' gaze narrowed as he followed where the younger vampire was looking. He was met with Hayley. She looked flustered with scene in front of her. She tried to stop it obviously since Elijah was now holding her back. "Damon in exchange for the last 8 weapons that can kill you." Stefan was able to say while his throat was being clenched.

Klaus dropped him to the floor. But he wasn't paying attention to the younger Salvatore. He was watching Hayley, who now refused to look him in the eye. Instead, she turned away and her face in Elijah's neck. If Klaus was going to really kill them, she didn't want to watch. Elijah held onto her tightly, his hand clutching the back of her neck as he glared at Niklaus.

But the hybrid turned his attention back to Stefan, who was now back on his feet. "And how do I know there aren't anymore left?" He challenged.

"Because there aren't." Stefan answered too quickly.

"Let's be certain, shall we?" Klaus whispered menacingly. He walked around Stefan to his older brother. "Leave." He ordered Damon. Hayley separated herself from Elijah to watch, confused at what game Nik was playing now.

"No." Damon managed to say firmly.

"Go on! Leave." Klaus urged.

"Nik, he's my plaything, not yours." Rebekah whined.

Hayley glanced at her in disgust. Then she gasped when Klaus quickly latched his hand around Damon's throat, who let out a groan of pain. He forced Damon to look him in the eye. "I said, _go home._" Klaus compelled him in a whisper. Damon took in a deep breath before trying to rip his hands from the hunting traps. Hayley watched in horror, realizing that he had no choice but to do as Nik ordered. He would rip his own hand off before disobeying the compulsion.

"Nik, that's enough! STOP IT!" Hayley yelled out.

"Be quiet, Hayley!" Klaus snapped back without looking at her. He was trying to show that it didn't matter what she thought of him. He would do the evil he wished. No one had control over him.

"KLAUS!" She shouted as she took a step toward him. Using the name that only his enemies and mere acquaintances used caught his attention. He finally looked at her, but only for a split second. He hid the hurt it caused him so well.

"Alright! Stop, stop, stop, before you hurt yourself." Klaus said to Damon, somehow managing a smirk even after Hayley addressing him in the worst way. "Well," He said to Stefan. "You see he can finally be compelled. Now…" He stepped toward Damon, but was sure not to step in the pool of blood. "Minus the stake in my brother, how many more stakes are out there that can kill me." Klaus dropped Damon's chin and waited for him to answer.

"Eleven." Damon breathed shamefully.

"Eleven!" Klaus shouted. "So, not eight then?"

"You really shouldn't have lied." Rebekah sighed.

"Idiots." Kol laughed to himself in the corner of the room. Hayley glanced at him. It was the first time he'd made his presence known. When he caught her glaring at him, he winked in return.

"I'll get you the other three." Stefan immediately responded.

"Yeah, that'd be nice." Klaus said disturbingly casual. "Or, since you lied, I'll compel your brother to chew out his own tongue."

Hayley looked at Elijah, begging him to stop his brother if he tried to do what he threatened. But he wouldn't intervene. He wouldn't kill the Salvatores himself because she practically begged him not to. But if someone else were to do it, there was no way he would try to stop it.

"What is wrong with you?" Stefan asked in horrified disgust.

"What is wrong with you?" Klaus yelled so loudly it made Hayley jump. "Do you really have no appreciation for me? I have given you someone to hate, to loathe, a target for all of your anger! So you don't have to turn it on yourself. I've given your life purpose, as your friend." Then he moved around Stefan and chuckled darkly. "I really think you should be thanking me."

Klaus' words were so obviously pushing Stefan to his limits. "Enough!" He snapped. And in an instant, he was rushing toward the hybrid with a white oak stake in his grasp. They flew into the wall. Hayley was about to yell out but Nik already held Stefan's gasp, stopping the younger vampire from killing him.

"Step down…or you both die." Klaus murmured coolly. Stefan looked unsure of what he wanted to do. Go on a suicide mission or do as Klaus said. He was breathing heavily as he finally gave in and let the hybrid take the stake out of his hand. "There. Now you only have to get me the other two."

Rebekah watched the exchange with her arms crossed. Then her gaze fell on Hayley's. She watched her for a moment too long. It made Hayley confused and almost uncomfortable. "Well, this is ridiculous!" Rebekah proclaimed as she marched over to Damon. Hayley's eyes lit up as she saw her detaching the trap from Damon's wrist. In a flash, she was at Damon's other arm releasing him before Rebekah could.

"What are you doing?" Klaus asked with annoyance. Hayley stepped back as Damon fell to his knees. He was too weak to even stand.

"I brought him here; I get to release him. My rules now, bring us the stakes and you both live." Rebekah ordered to Stefan. She glanced back at Damon. "Take your brother as a sign of good faith." Then she grabbed the bags of stakes and left the room without regarding anyone else.

Klaus looked annoyed with his sister. But he shrugged and played along. "Bring us the stakes, _all of them_. Or I'll wage a war against everyone you love. I hope I'm being clear." He walked past Stefan, not bothering to find the courtesy to walk him out. Kol followed along, leaving Hayley and Elijah alone with the Salvatore brothers.

"It is time for you to leave." Elijah specified as he glared at Stefan. The younger Salvatore glanced at Hayley for some reason before walking over to Damon and carefully helping him to his feet. As soon as they were out of the room, Hayley locked eyes with Elijah and let out a giant sigh. It was like all the anxiety had been swept away just as quickly as it had arrived.

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**I haven't got a lot of feedback recently. So tell me what you thought...pretty please ;)**


	24. Part XXIV

**Thank you for the reviews. One guest said that she wanted more fluff. Well...I'm kind of against it. But I kind of tried to add what I believe you were truly looking for. Enjoy**

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Stefan practically carried Damon to the front door. Hayley watched from the shadows of the staircase as Elijah walked them out. He whispered something to Stefan that made him pause and share a look with his brother. She tried to listen to what it was but he must have known she would be listening, since he whispered it so quietly that her vampire hearing couldn't even pick it up.

Once the door was closed and the Salvatores were gone, Elijah slowly walked back to her. But he stopped too soon, leaving a large space between them. Hayley stopped leaning against the staircase. He was staring at her intently.

A shy and unsure smile formed on her lips. "What?" She asked.

Elijah just shook his head and continued toward her. Without answering her, he grabbed her chin with his thumb and kissed her sweetly. He pulled away and could already tell a smile was beaming on her mouth.

"What was that for?" She whispered, but refused to move away.

"Am I not allowed to kiss you when I wish?" He laughed lightly.

"You can kiss me whenever you want."

"It is necessary that I resist the urge. Otherwise, neither of us would ever get anything done." Elijah said with a smile but meant it quite seriously.

Hayley finally moved away from him slightly in order to stop tempting either of them. Her smile falters a little bit. "You make it really hard to stay mad at you."

With her statement, all fun disappears. "It is never my intention. I don't deserve your forgiveness. I don't deserve you."

A flash of sadness crosses her eyes. "Elijah," She started softly. "I don't know if I'm supposed to share everything your mother said. But… I kind of have to tell someone. I can't stop thinking about it." She didn't sound hysteric. But Elijah could tell Hayley was really troubled and even a little frightened.

"Hayley, you know you may tell me anything you desire." He insisted.

Her eyes were distant as she ran her fingers through her hair over and over again. It was like she hadn't heard him say anything; she was so lost in her thoughts. Elijah quickly grabbed her hands, stopping her worrying movements. It finally made her look him in the eye. She paused before nodding her head at what he'd said. With her hand in his, he led her to the stairs. They were halfway up when something in the corner of Hayley's eye caught her attention. Klaus and Rebekah were in a room that Hayley could see into from her spot on the stairs. They were burning the nine stakes Stefan had brought, destroying the new weapons that could truly kill the originals. Hayley watched for a moment as the stakes caught on fire almost instantly before continuing up the stairs.

Elijah shut their bedroom door behind him. He knew it wouldn't stop his siblings from listening in on their conversation. But he wanted to believe it made Hayley feel more comfortable. When he turned to face her, she was lost in her thoughts once again. But the sound of the door closing made her quickly look at him.

"You have to be more careful." She pleaded in almost desperation. "There are still two stakes out there that can kill you."

Elijah quickly put his hands on either side of her face to calm her. "Hayley, this is not the first time someone has attempted to end my family. You must not worry yourself. I am fully capable of handling it." She nodded, but he knew she wasn't convinced. "Tell me what has you so unsettled." He led her to the edge of the bed.

She sat down as he stood and looked down at her. Hayley took in a deep breath before telling Elijah the details of the prophecy. She confessed that his mother was relying on her as the last chance to save him and his siblings. But the hardest part was telling Elijah about his mother choosing her, somehow knowing when she was just a child that she was meant for him. And that's how he was drawn to her.

Time became irrelevant as she told him everything. He never interrupted her or asked any questions. He simply let her speak and tell him what she wanted. When Hayley was done, she looked up at Elijah to see he was calmly watching her with his hands in his suit pockets. How did he make it so easy to talk to him? No on else was ever like that, not even Nik. Yes, they had almost the exact same interests and personalities but somehow that made it harder to talk to him than anyone else.

Hayley gave Elijah a sad smile. "I guess I wanted to tell you because I know how much you blame yourself for anything that happens to me. But now you know that neither of us really had a choice. Esther wanted it to happen…so it did."

Elijah glanced out the window for a moment before staring back into Hayley's blue-green eyes. "I'm am giving you the choice now." He said distinctly. She narrowed her eyes, not understanding what he meant. "If you want to leave. If you want to start a new life, a life that could be as if you never met me… you can."

"Elijah, that's not what-" She immediately stumbled.

"No, listen to me, Hayley." He stated so seriously that it stopped her from interrupting him. He moved forward and kneeled in front of her as she still sat on the edge of the bed. "You were never given a choice. From when you were a child, my mother made sure that your life went the way she wanted it to. I'm letting you make the choice that you were never given."

"Elijah…" She gasped. Her breathing was deep and stressed. She wasn't expecting him to react this way. "You were never given a choice either." His only sign of agreeing was his jaw tightening. "So…would you take it all back? Would you choose to go on living your immortality as if you'd never met me?"

Elijah opened his mouth but didn't speak. He glanced down at the ground as she shook his head. His eyes then tore into hers so deeply that she wanted to break away. "Hayley, I have existed for over a thousand years. I thought I was living, that I had a purpose during all those lifetimes. But I never began living until I met you. Without my mother or her prophecy, I believe I would have searched for you through the rest of eternity. My heart would not understand what it was searching for, but somehow it would still know that you existed."

A single tear slid down Hayley's cheek as she listened to him. She let out a gasp of laughter as she wiped it away with the back of my hand. "Then how can you believe that I would choose differently?" She asked between sniffs, trying to clear her runny noise. Before she could try and persuade him any further, his lips were crashing onto hers. She laughed almost pitiably again from her embarrassment of crying.

To Elijah, Hayley couldn't have given him a better answer. She didn't know how to use words. They scared her, got stuck in her throat or stayed frighten in her heart. Even if she could tell him, nothing she said would convince him that she wanted this love with all of her heart. So she used his words of infatuation for her and turned them against him in the best possible way.

Elijah kissed her so heatedly that she stood up with him from the edge of the bed.

His forearms clutched around her back and pressed her against his chest as her feet lifted off the ground. She gasped slightly at the movement, which was his reason for doing it. Her hands cupped around his face as their lips continued to crash against one another.

Elijah pulled away, locking eyes with her. But he still held her off the ground, against his chest. "I love you. No matter how you came to me. I would have found you one way or another."

Hayley gave him the quietest smile and kissed him slowly. Then her lips moved to his ear. "I love you, Elijah." She whispered.

Hayley's hands were crossed underneath her cheek as she lay on her stomach. Elijah leaned on a forearm as he rested on his side. He was tracing circles on her bare skin. She hummed and exhaled deeply at the pleasantness of it. Her eyes couldn't help but flicker open when she felt his lips kiss her shoulder.

"What is on that mind of yours?" He asks.

Hayley closed her eyes again. "That's a strange question to ask. I'm sure it's obvious what I'm reminiscing over." She spoke softly. It was only in the most intimate settings such as these that her voice became so soft. It was erratic.

"I am immune to your lies. Surely, you know this by now."

Her eyes opened and narrowed at his. "Doesn't mean I'll stop trying." She scurried under the thin sheets and rearranged them over her exposed body. Then she moved to stare up at the ceiling of the canopy bed.

"I wish you would." Elijah said gently as he watched her.

"What?"

"I wish you would stop trying to lie to me." He persisted.

She sighed. "It's difficult."

"Not as much as you believe. You can start with telling me what you were pondering about just a few moments ago."

Hayley shakes her head. "I don't want to ruin this." She glances over at him and he doesn't even need to say anything to make her confess. His look tells her that he will figure it out one way or another.

"I can't save our family. I can't change the way they are." Hayley whispered. The terror and fear from the thought of failing became an aura surrounding her entire body. Elijah thought he fell more in love listening to her call his family her own.

"You have begun a dreadful habit of underestimating yourself." He told her simply. This made Hayley sit up straight, leaning on her side with the thin sheets clutched to her chest and being held up by her underarms.

"What did you say to Stefan the second before he left?" She asked quickly.

"Nothing of importance." He slyly answered right on beat.

"You threatened him, didn't you?"

"I said nothing that he did not deserve" Elijah sighed.

"Then you have to understand my point!" She pled. "The only thing that separates you from your siblings is one thing." He only asked her to continue with the raising of an eyebrow. "Me." Hayley said simply. "No matter who it is…if I ask, if I beg you not to kill them, you won't."

Elijah laughed darkly. "Ah, I see you have finally discovered your hold on me. I beg of you not to use it to your advantage."

She moved closer to him on the bed and kissed his shoulders. "I would _never_." And she fell into a fit of laughter. Then she was quickly moved on her back with her wrists pinned to the bed, while he was balanced above her.

"I usually don't stand for such threats." Elijah tried to sound threatening but all Hayley heard was his playfulness. The smile that had just been beaming slowly dulled like a dying star. Just like that, her thoughts went back to her worries and troubles. "Hayley…you do not have to save anyone." He tried to reassure her as soon as he saw that she wasn't mentally in the room.

"Yes. I do." She said deliberate and firm. "Your mother trusted me. She's depended on me. But I can't just go to Kol, Rebekah…Nik, and tell them to stop being the people they've turned into after a thousand years."

"Rebekah is not as tough as you believe. Kol…is like a child. Perhaps give him another millennium or so to mature." He barely got a smirk out of Hayley from the joke.

She moved closer to him, resting her head on his bare chest. "And Niklaus?" She whispered. "Is it even possible to help him?" She added, even quieter.

Elijah was quiet. Quiet for such a long time that her eyes flickered above to read his silence better. "I do not believe you shall ever fully understand the influence you have on my brother, Hayley." He stared forward, into nothing as he spoke. His seriousness caused her to sit up and move to eye level.

"It's hard for me to believe that. Especially, after I failed to stop him from slaughtering Damon." She retorted dismally.

"But he stopped, did he not." Elijah challenged.

"Only when he proved his point to Stefan! Not because I yelled at him to." She lay on his chest again, not finding the strength to truly argue with him on the matter. Then she felt his lips moved to her ear.

"Your relationship with my brother is stronger than either of you realize. That is why it is so hard for me to watch. Niklaus loves you more than anyone else in his life. But he still does not know how to sacrifice his darkness for you." Elijah stated faintly. Hayley closed her eyes, wishing and praying that it wasn't true. But she knew he was right.

* * *

"Have they brought back the last two yet?" Hayley asked as she walked into Nik's studio. Surprisingly, he put down his paintbrush and turned with crossed arms to acknowledge her.

"No. But I'm sure it's just a matter of time before they come crawling back here, begging that I spare the lives of their loved ones." He told her smugly.

"The Salvatores are not the crawling or begging type."

"Yes… Well, we shall see." Nik said with his dimple smirk.

Hayley took in a deep breath, preparing her for the discourse she needed to make. "Niklaus, please, stop this. Let's just leave this stupid town."

"Stop calling me that." He snapped without meaning to.

"Well, it's the only thing that seems to give me your attention these days." She responded with just as much attitude. "What is the point of staying here? There's nothing here for our family. There never was."

"That is where you're wrong, sweetheart. A very important doppelgänger resides in this little town and that is why _I _came here. That never had anything to do with our family. Furthermore, I can go whenever I wish."

"Then let's go." Hayley challenged in a whisper.

"No." He stated firmly.

"Nik, I know you aren't an idiot. Things have changed. You have your family back. They've forgiven you. Stop this before you destroy it all again! Your stupid hybrids will never fill that hole. Rebekah, Kol, Elijah…me, we can."

"They hate me. And that will never change." Nik said, staring at the ground.

"And what…your hybrids love you?" Her voice rose from the frustration of his foolishness and denial. "They're sired to you! It's not even real! Slaves are not friends. Do I need to remind you what friends are?"

She was crossing a line that he did not approve. Klaus shot forward, getting right in her face. "No I don't need reminding, love! After all, you and I were once friends."

Pain filled Hayley's expression. "We still are." She said softly. Her eyes closed for a moment before meeting his strikingly cerulean irises. "Is that what you're going to say to me next when you hurt me?" She whispered.

"What are you talking about?" He asked honestly.

"You destroyed Stefan's life to give him someone to take out his uncontrollable rage on." She murmured quickly. "I can feel it approaching, the time when you're going to hurt me…will you say you did it for my own good?"

"Perhaps." He said so roughly that it made her flinch.

"Just like when you killed Luke."

"He would have only got in the way of your life sooner or later. Consider it a favor, sweetheart." Klaus said it with an almost evil smirk. It made Hayley want to slap him, no, hit him.

"You're disgusting. It's not your choice to say what's best for those around you. Who gave you that power? No one! Just because you're the original hybrid doesn't mean it justifies you destroying everything around you!" She was fully yelling now. Her ability to control her rage under such circumstances was never strong. She could hide what she believed were weak emotions well, but neither anger nor hatred were one of them.

"Why did you come in here, Hayley?" Klaus shouted back. "What did you truly expect to receive from this conversation?"

"I made a promise to help you! And you are making it impossible! Stop trying to be the alpha male! Stop trying to control every single thing around you!" Hayley stopped and breathed heavily, trying to calm herself down. "I want my friend back. Nick…the human who seemed like my long, lost brother. Not this," She gestured at him. "This monster that ruins innocent lives and pushes his family aside."

"What more can I do, Hayley? I'd kill an entire city just to prove my loyalty to you!" His shouting shook the entire room. It caused Hayley to take a step back and was immediately ashamed of it. She needed to stand her ground, to show him that she wasn't scared of him. But she was. She was terrified of the stranger standing across from her. And Hayley realized that he needed to know.

"That is why I'm scared of you Klaus." Hayley whispered. But when she looked up to meet his gaze, it was empty. There was absolutely no emotion. Was he really the heartless monster everyone in the supernatural believed he was? If the Nik she had talked to at a coffee shop for the first time was still in there, she couldn't see him.

Hayley slowly turned and then quickly walked out of the room. She closed the door behind her and waited a moment. Her back rested against it. She counted to 10 and then heard him growl in rage. Things were being thrown around the room. She cringed with every sound of glass shattering, canvas ripping, and wood breaking. Her chest heaved up and down from her panicked breathing. She knew she couldn't go back in that room. But she wanted to with all of her heart. Hayley craved to help him and she thought she knew how. But she'd never felt so wrong in her life.

She hurriedly walked into one of the dens. Elijah shot out of his chair the moment she entered the room. He had been sitting with Kol, who gave her a serious look for once. He seemed uncomfortable to be in the room. Yes, he had overheard and witnessed countless of his brother, Klaus' explosions. But this one was so obviously different. It was fueled by something else.

"Are you alright?" Elijah asked immediately.

Hayley nodded her head blankly. He had been on strict orders not to intervene, no matter what he heard. They may have expected such a reaction from their brother. But she was still stunned. She had told Elijah to stay away as a simple precaution.

"So that's it? You're leaving now?" Kol asked. It was strange seeing him look so into the moment instead of trying to find his next victim. He looked between Elijah and Hayley with earnestness in his eyes. She couldn't help but think he seemed like a lost child. He was still unaccustomed to this new world. And he would get along fine on his own. But he saw his troublemaking to be a little more successful if he stayed with his siblings. Besides, if he went off on his own there would be no one to rebel against.

"We all are." Elijah corrected. Kol's brow creased. "You and Rebekah are more than welcome to come with us."

Kol almost completely hid his surprise and delight at the offer. He stood up and nodded toward Hayley. "And your dearly beloved? She doesn't mind if your troublesome little brother and spoiled sister tag along?" He questioned.

Elijah looked at her along with his brother but he was amused while Kol was defying. "It was her idea."

"And what of Niklaus?" Kol asked then.

"He's staying." Hayley finally spoke.

* * *

**Okay...so i worked really hard on this chapter. There was a lot of emotional intensity I think. So I really want to hear your thoughts. PLEASE.**

**okay im so tired. goodnight. **


	25. Part XXV

**A guest review was asking who I would cast as Hayley. And in all honesty, I've never thought about a specific person. ****I tried really hard to think of someone and struggled. But here's a specific description.**

**Height: 5'11-5'10ish - Long legs, built lean and tall like a runway model**

**Blonde-red Hair (I guess a little darker than strawberry blonde) and blue-green eyes**

**The closest actress I could think of was a kinda young _Charlize Theron_** **with those features.**

* * *

Hayley sat at the bar of the grill. She was playing with the straw of her drink, lost in her thoughts. Elijah just barely allowed her to leave the house while he arranged their departure. She had been pacing around the room. And even though he would never tell her or even show it, her anxiousness was driving him senseless. Every time she heard Klaus even move an inch inside the mansion, she questioned if she should try to talk to him again. Hayley knew she couldn't. But she was left so shocked from his unexpected reaction earlier that she wanted to make things right.

* * *

_"He's made his choice, Hayley. He's taken his hybrids over all of us." Elijah had told her as gently as he could. It didn't stop the reminder from hurting still. _

_ "Maybe if I…" But she slowly stopped, realizing that there was nothing she could even think about trying that would help Nik. "I should leave." She said quickly. "I can tell I'm driving you crazy." Elijah parted his lips to argue her leaving the safety of the mansion. After all, the Salvatores still had two stakes to use on the originals. And he didn't put it past them to try and use Hayley against them again. _

_ "I'll only go to the grill. They won't try anything while people surround me. I'll keep my cellphone in my hand the entire time. You can call me every 5 minutes for all I care." Hayley had felt so pathetic as she said it. Never had she lowered her life to someone else's terms. Before Elijah, she did what she pleased and when she pleased._

_ "Alright." He'd finally sighed. "I would tell you to take Kol. But he has disappeared."_

* * *

"Are you going to actually drink that? Or are you just gonna stare at it?" Matt asked Hayley with his boy-next-door charm that he was so oblivious to.

She stopped stirring her drink, but didn't look up as she tried to ignore him. He killed Elijah, along with every other vampire that was created from him. Hayley understood why he did it. Matt was one of the few humans left in his group of friends. He loved them and he would give up his blissful ignorance and morals to help any of them. But didn't he realize that his actions weren't fully justified as the greater good for man?

"Hiding any stakes behind that counter, Blade?" She accused darkly without lifting her eyes off of the drink in front of her.

Matt stopped cleaning some glasses behind the bar. The grill wasn't crowded at the time. It allowed him to watch Hayley for the past few minutes. Clearly, her thoughts were filled deep with worry. He sighed as he put down the glass and leaned on the counter toward her, hoping to get her to actually look at him.

"I don't know you that well, but I can still tell that you understand I had to do it." His raspy voice tried to get her to reason with him.

Hayley finally looked up at him, but her eyes were shadowy and glaring. She was stunningly terrifying. Her beauty would awe any victim stupid enough to upset her and it would be the last thing they'd see before she destroyed them.

"Finn was innocent. He never did anything to you or your friends." Her tone was even and emotionless. It was a warning that he should choose his words wisely if he was bold enough to even speak to her while she was in such a mood.

"They were supposed to be connected…we did it to kill Klaus." Matt quickly informed her.

"Is that supposed to make me forgive it?" Hayley snapped, disgusted with his excuse. "Klaus is my friend. And if they actually had been connected, you would have killed the man I love. If it had worked, I'd be dead too." Then she leaned forward on the counter too. "Let's not forget Caroline and Tyler. You would have killed them too." Then she leaned back in her chair and gave him the most condescending look. "You could have killed an entire race…every single vampire would be dead because of you."

"You're better than them." Matt said after watching her for a few seconds.

Hayley rolled her eyes and scowled. "Weren't you just saying that you don't know me, Matt?" She raised an eyebrow at him accusingly. His jaw tensed, as he didn't respond. "Don't tell me how better I am than the people I care about." She snapped. "If you really want to play that game," Hayley started mockingly. "You let your friends convince you to murder. So really, who's surrounding themselves with people that make them worse?"

Matt looked disappointed with himself, knowing she was somewhat right. When Hayley saw it in his expression, she almost felt bad. But her anger was the dominant emotion surging through her right now. Then she made eye contact and her heart dropped when she saw Matt's face go blank. She had been so angry that she wasn't paying enough attention to controlling her siren curse. Every time a man became mesmerized, it was like their blood called to Hayley. She let out a small gasp as her eyes were glued on a vein that was just barely visible on Matt's neck.

Suddenly, someone was at her side. "Don't you have work to do?" A voice interrupted swiftly that was laced with a British accent. Matt blinked a few times, completely oblivious to being both siren-entranced and compelled. He picked up another glass to dry and walked to the other end of the bar.

Hayley let out a calming breath as she glanced at Rebekah who took the seat next to her. "Thank-thank you." She stuttered to the original. If it hadn't been for her, Hayley might have attacked him right there in the bar.

"Matt's _my_ plaything. And what a horrible proprietor I'd be to let your dirty mouth drink him dry." Rebekah said with her usual sass. She reached over the bar and grabbed her liquor of choice and a glass to pour it in.

Hayley rolled her eyes at Rebekah's curtness. It was neither charming nor funny in her opinion. It didn't surprise her that the original wasn't able to find friends. "Always such a pleasure." Hayley mumbled as she finally took a swig from her drink.

"You're welcome." Rebekah responded with some of her attitude replaced by an almost kind seriousness.

"We're leaving soon. Shouldn't you be packing or something?" Hayley asked.

"I have people doing that for me, of course. They're taking care of all my necessities." She said casually. "I ran into Elijah and he told me you were here."

"So he asked you to come babysit me?" Hayley sighed with frustration.

"No. I came on my own." Rebekah said as she poured herself another drink. Hayley quickly looked at her, astounded that she would come to see her on her own accord. "After all, the four of us will be together for who knows how long. I might as well start being civil to you now."

Hayley just nodded blankly and turned to face forward again. They sat there in silence for a few moments. Neither of them knew if they should start a conversation with one another. Hayley finally took in a deep breath, as if she were going into a battle of some sort and wasn't sure if she'd make it back alive.

"You know, Rebekah, I've only ever wanted to be your friend."

Rebekah brushed her hair of her shoulder with a hand and glanced at Hayley. "I know." Then she paused. "I was resentful of you, obviously. I had been trapped in a bloody coffin. Meanwhile, my favorite brother was finding my replacement and another brother had already fallen in love with her from the guidance of my mother." She said it so straightforward and simply that Hayley finally saw herself through Rebekah's eyes.

"I never wanted to replace you, Rebekah. I might be Nik's friend…well, I'm not even sure of that anymore. But you will always, _always_ be his only sister." Hayley tried to reassure the original who looked slightly down from sharing her feelings.

"You are very hard to hate, I must admit." Rebekah sighed in annoyance. "Even Matt likes you and you're the enemy." Hayley followed her gaze to Matt who was walking around the grill, picking up dirty dishes.

Hayley laughed a little. "When I was a kid, Matt's the only type of guy I thought Elijah would approve of me marrying…the sweet and genuine boy-next-door."

"What are you talking about?" Rebekah asked confused.

Hayley looked at her, not understanding what she didn't know. "When I was barely even 12 years-old, we were walking and I was complaining about a boy I had a crush on." She paused, suddenly caught in the memory that she hadn't thought about it so long. "He stopped walking and kneeled right in front of me. All that time knowing him, I hadn't seen him so serious. He said, 'No one will ever deserve you, Hayley. No boy or man shall ever be worthy enough.'" Hayley's eyes were glazed over as she relived the memory. "I was too young to really understand what he meant. But for months after that, I was determined to find a boy that he would approve of. I used to have a friend that was just like Matt." Hayley could feel her throat tightening from thinking about Luke. She coughed, trying to stop it from destroying all her composure. "But Elijah kept away for years to protect me from Nik. So… slowly I started forgetting about him. And with it, I forgot about finding someone he'd approve." She turned to look at Rebekah and was surprised to see the original had been listening very closely to every word she'd said.

"I-I didn't know he met when you were a child." Rebekah said softly. Her voice didn't sound like her. Or, perhaps, this _was_ her being herself.

Hayley nodded slowly. "When I was a kid, I just thought he was my imaginary friend or my guardian angel. I didn't really have anyone to be there for me when I was younger. He came and went, but when he was there, he actually listened and made me happier than he knows. But he didn't come back for a long time…too long. So I forgot about him. It wasn't until I was 18 that he came back and I remembered."

Rebekah had never bothered figuring out the history between Hayley and Elijah. She'd never confess that she couldn't bear hearing the love story of someone else when she didn't have her own to tell. "Hayley…I'm sorry for never giving you a chance." She tried to sound as sincere as possible. But somehow it still lacked validity.

Hayley smiled as her chin leaned into her hand. She tilted her head as the original watched her carefully. "Don't worry about it. We kind of have a lot of time to catch up." This caused Rebekah to laugh, a genuine laugh.

* * *

"So what do we know?" Caroline asked the group with her arms crossed and her weight leaning on one leg. Elena, Bonnie, and the Salvatore brothers sat in the boarding house, all with anxious expressions.

Damon was the only one that was able to appear calm and collected. He sat back on the couch and drank a cup of bourbon. "We know that killing an original will also kill every vampire that descends from them."

"We also know that Hayley figured that out too." Stefan sighed.

"Wait…how do we know that?" Bonnie quickly asked. If Hayley knew, surely all of the originals knew now too.

"It was written in her face." Stefan said. His eyes went vacant as he remembered that night. "She was figuring it out as it was happening. It was like she knew instantly."

"The three of us," Damon continued as he gestured to himself, Stefan, and Caroline. "Were all created from Katherine. Tyler is a directly connected to Klaus."

"Which means killing him is out of the question." Caroline specified sternly as she glared at Damon. It was all too obvious that the older Salvatore wouldn't hesitate to kill Klaus; even knowing Tyler would die too.

"Katherine was turned by Rose." Elena thought out loud. "But we have no idea who turned her. And sadly, we can't ask her."

"That's where you're wrong." Damon said cheerily. The rest of the group looked at him confused. "Are we all forgetting that little Gilbert can talk to dead people?" He was frustrated with their intellectual slowness. "Jeremy was able to contact her. A vampire named Mary Porter turned her. Or as some of us liked to call her…Scary Mary."

"Let me guess," Caroline sighed with disgust. "You slept with her." Damon just gave his infamous smirk. All the girls groaned and Stefan shook his head.

"And what about Mary?" Stefan asked. "Who turned her?"

"I found a number through friends of friends. She was a little apprehensive to give me such personal information. But eventually I used my charm and got the answer out of her." Damon stated, then his smirk slowly fell and took another swig of his drink.

"And?" Elena urged as she leaned forward.

Damon looked down at his now empty glass. "We can't kill Klaus."

"So that's it? We've been delaying handing over the last two stakes, only to find out that we descend from him!" Caroline barked. "After everything he's done to us, we're just going to let him live?" She shouted.

"And what else are we supposed to do, Blondie? Kill ourselves?" Damon snapped right back. "There is no killing Klaus. There never was. So why don't we all just do ourselves a favor and give him the stakes before he kills us himself."

"He's right." Stefan sighed to the group. Then he turned to his brother. "Why don't you call Alaric and get the other one?" He tossed him the other stake. Damon looked at it and sighed. In such a short amount of time, he had dedicated his life to destroying the original hybrid. And just like that, it was no longer an option.

* * *

Rebekah and Hayley had been small talking for quite some time. It was something Hayley never thought would happen. But it was like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders now that there was an unspoken peace offering between them. She took in a deep breath and closed her eyes for just a split moment. While Hayley took away her sight, just for a few seconds, her other senses noticed something.

Her eyes snapped open and then cursorily swept the room. "Do you notice anything unusual about this stupid grill?" She asked the original.

Rebekah also glanced around the room. "No. It's still as ugly and boring as it always is." She replied carelessly.

But Hayley wouldn't let it drop that easily. She slowly shook her head. "It's too quiet." She urged to her.

"Hayley, there are dozens of people having pointless conversations as we speak. What the bloody-hell are you talking about?"

Hayley held up her hand to quiet Rebekah as she tried to concentrate. Then she glanced over at Matt. He had been watching them and looked away as soon as Hayley caught him in the act. She narrowed her gaze. "He's been making sure we're here. Where are all his friends?" She asked suspiciously in a whisper.

"Not here." Rebekah declared slowly. Suddenly she had caught on to Hayley's uncertainties. She turned in her seat and didn't see one familiar face of Elena's annoying friends. Then she got out of her seat and grabbed her purse. "We should leave."

"Stop." Hayley struggled to urge her in a calm voice. "That might be exactly what they want you to do." Rebekah opened her mouth to argue. "Don't be impulsive like your brother, Rebekah." She snapped before the original could speak.

"They could have just asked Matt to keep tabs on us."

Hayley nodded, agreeing with her. "Yeah. But why would they need tabs on two vampires if they weren't up to something that they didn't want us to stop or know about?" Her eyes flickered to Rebekah's, measuring if she understood the seriousness of their situation. They both shared a moment of realization. Something was wrong. Either the trouble was waiting for them right outside the grill or it was with another original.

Both of the girls walked briskly out the front door. They looked calm and oblivious to outsiders. But their attention was in all of their surroundings. If someone were planning something, they wouldn't be taken by surprise. They were on the sidewalks in the heart of downtown Mystic Falls. Rebekah stayed on the lookout as Hayley fished for her phone. She frantically dials Elijah's number and listens to the dialing ring.

"Yes, my love." He answers right away in manner he knows will possibly annoy her. Hayley, too relieved to hear he's okay, completely ignores it.

"Elijah! Has anyone come to the mansion? Are you okay? Did anything happen?" She fired question after question.

"Hayley, slow down." All joking had disappeared. "No one has been here. Nothing has happened." Even though she was speaking a mile a minute, he still understood her. "What has put you into such a panic?" He asked urgently.

"Something isn't right, Elijah. Rebekah and I were sitting at the bar. Matt kept watching us as if he wanted to make sure we didn't leave. We just know something isn't right. Have you heard from Kol since I left?"

"I have not. But Niklaus left some time ago. I heard him leave on his own accord though." Elijah left the room he had been preparing all of their things for the departure and decided to take a look around. He found hybrids moving around the mansion, ignoring his presence and observations. Elijah recognized one of them and stopped him as he moved a box.

"Mr. Lockwood," He greeted calmly. "What precisely are all of you doing?" He kept the phone at his side, knowing Hayley would be able to hear the conversation too.

Tyler looked around uncomfortably from the original's question. "Klaus asked us to pack up all of things. He didn't really say anything else. I guess he's heading out of town." Tyler shrugged and then continued his work.

Elijah eyed the young hybrid as he walked away, then put the phone back to his ear. "Hayley…"

"Yeah, I heard." She practically gasped. There was a sense of relief and hope but it was covered when another thought instantly popped into her mind. "Elijah, he's not leaving town before he has a few things. Like a certain doppelgänger and a few pieces of wood that have yet to be returned."

"Indeed." Elijah agreed. Then he felt like he could see through Hayley current expression perfectly even though he was not beside her. "Hayley, I hope you do not plan on intervening in my brother's personal affairs." But there was no response. "Hayley, you listen to me. Do not go anywhere except this mansion."

"If he's going to take Elena, we both know that a fight's gonna break out." She tried to argue with him. Then Rebekah put her hand out, asking for the phone. Hayley eyed her for a few seconds before slowly giving it to her.

"No need to worry, dear brother. I'll have her back at the mansion in just a few minutes." Rebekah stated confidently, absolutely disregarding Hayley's jaw dropping. She hung up the phone and dropped it in Hayley's hand with a content smirk.

"Traitor." Hayley hissed.

"I assure you, Niklaus can take care of himself. My family was without your company for thousands of years. And look! We survived!" She crossed her arms. "He doesn't need our help. And remember, he didn't choose us."

"I don't need reminding. But the thing with friends," Hayley didn't mean to make it sound so obvious that she knew more about it than Rebekah. "We care about one another and help each other even when we are fighting and have convinced ourselves that our friendship has been replaced with hatred."

Rebekah slowly uncrossed her arms and her eyes dropped to the ground. "I guess I wouldn't know." She said more to herself. Then she looked at Hayley. "Come on. Let's get back to the mansion. Don't even try running after him. You may be fast, but I promise I'll break your neck if you even think about disobeying Elijah and me."

Hayley rolled her eyes. "When did I become the original pet?" She muttered.

* * *

The doorbell rang at the Gilbert house. Alaric went to answer it and his posture straightened when he saw Klaus staring back at him. "Hello Alaric." The original hybrid greeted charmingly with a smirk.

Alaric crossed his arms and glared at him. "Can I help you with something?"

Klaus' smile faltered just the smallest amount. "Well, you see, I'm leaving town. I'll finally be out of your hair. I just need to pick up a few road trip necessities: spare tire, flashlight, doppelgänger." Then he saw Stefan and Damon creep around the corner from the kitchen. Klaus had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. As if the two brothers could even dream of stopping him from taking the girl they loved.

But Alaric stood his ground. "You know what I love best about vampires? It's impossible, even for an original, to enter a house that they will _never_ be invited into." He slammed the door in Klaus' face, not caring if he angered him.

The hybrid immediately started pacing outside the house. When he wants something, he gets it. And he refused to leave town without taking the blood source of his hybrids with him. He saw a newspaper on the porch of the house; quickly he grabbed and threw it at the nearest window. It broke the glass and the shutters as if the meek roll of paper were a bowling ball.

"I think you're probably gonna want to let me in." He yells loud enough so even the humans can hear his threat from outside. The front door slowly opens and Klaus smirks when he spots Elena. She doesn't step outside. Instead, she chooses to remain in the safety of her house. He walks at vampire speed so he's only a foot away from her.

"That's enough, Klaus. You don't have to destroy the house." She mutters.

"Is this you coming with me peacefully?" Klaus asks with his dimple smile, feeling as though he's already won without even trying.

"It feels like it's the only choice I have. After you destroy my house, you'll just start threatening the people I love." Elena predicted darkly.

"You know me too well, Elena."

"Yeah, whatever." She crossed her arms. "There's no way you're gonna let me stay, is there?" She whispers sadly. "Not without you killing the whole town." Klaus tilts his head as he watches her. If this was her pathetic attempt at making him feel guilty and then letting her go, it would never work on him. "Can you at least give me a day?" She asks with him with as much pitifulness as she can muster.

Klaus leans his head forward while his hands are clasped behind his back. "Do you think me a fool, Elena Gilbert?" He reproaches calmly. "You want me to give you a day, for what? So your pathetic friends can try and muster a plan against me that is doomed to fail before it even truly becomes a thought?" He smiles as he reads her scowl. "Let me make myself even more clear. I am not leaving this dreadful town without you. I will give you a day, to simply humor you. But I promise this, there is nothing you or your friends can do that shall stop me from taking you."

He walked down the steps of her porch and turned around to see that Elena was still watching him. "Spend your day wisely." He winked and swore he could see the chills go down her spine. He took a pleasure it terrifying and maddening someone so easily. "Oh, and I'll be wanting those stakes back soon. And don't bother trying to use them against me. I know you're already aware that your friends would die along with me." Klaus smirked as Elena gawked at him. She had no idea that he knew they'd figured out what line they belonged to. "Always underestimating me. It's becoming insulting."

* * *

Hayley came storming into the mansion. Elijah was already at the bottom of the stairs as if he had sensed she would walk inside within seconds. She glared at him for just a few seconds, showing that she didn't appreciate his commands. Then she shook her head and slowly walked over to him. Rebekah closed the door and turned to them just in time to see Hayley slowly embrace Elijah. She could pretend that she was mad at him all she wanted but Rebekah could tell she was truly relieved that Elijah was okay.

"Has he come back?" Hayley asked quietly but roughly.

Before Elijah could answer, someone else did. "I'm right here, sweetheart."

Hayley turned to see Klaus had entered the entrance hall with his hands behind his back and his dimpled smirk. It was like he hadn't completely exploded at her. She was starting to have a difficult time dealing with his sudden changes in mood.

Hayley glared at him because of how pleasant he was acting. "Are you taking Elena then?" She practically growled.

"Well, if you must know…Yes, I am." He said just as cheerily.

"Then I guess we're going separate ways." Hayley snapped. "I'm not going anywhere with you if you're bringing your slave prisoner." She retorted harshly. It made Klaus' smirk weaken. Hayley glared at him and moved around Elijah to go up to their room. Their departure should be ready by now. She saw no point in staying further. It was clear that the final battle was approaching. The residents of Mystic Falls wouldn't stand for their precious Elena to be abducted and kept as a blood mule. Hayley didn't care anymore. She couldn't change Klaus. Before this war had started, she convinced herself that Nik was capable of changing for the better. Not she wasn't sure if the person she called her friend had ever truly existed.

* * *

**Please, please, please review. :)**

**I always feel like warning readers when the story is coming to a close. So...this is my warning. **


	26. Part XXVI

**I am so, so, so sorry for how long it took to post this. My life has become a mess. I'm constantly doing schoolwork. And you guys deserve better. I apologize. **

* * *

Elijah briskly walked up the stairs and to the bedroom he knew Hayley had fled to. He paused a moment before opening the door. He straightened his jacket, trying to give her a moment. She was upset and felt betrayed by Klaus. All this time, she had tried convincing his entire family that he wasn't what they believed. But Hayley never knew that she would have to convince herself as well. The worst part: she didn't know if she could.

Elijah took in a deep breath and knocked on the door. He knew she wanted to be alone. She _always_ wanted to be alone when she was emotional, ashamed of showing it in front of anyone. But he needed her to know that she didn't have to hide from him. That was the difference between him and his brother. Elijah allowed her to open up, while Klaus let her hide her feelings until she'd explode like him.

"Come in." He heard her say softly.

Elijah pushed the door so slowly that it creaked, as it swung open. Hayley's back was to him as she stared out the tall window across the room. Her arms were crossed and her hair was naturally resting just over one shoulder. She was wearing a thin, white, long sleeve shirt. It was slightly too wide on her, proving that it belonged to Rebekah. Her light-wash jeans were slightly frayed and rolled at the ankles. They clung to her waist from a brown leather belt. Elijah couldn't hold back the displeasure as he recognized them as Niklaus'.

Elijah took a step toward her and then stopped as she slowly turned to face him. The sunlight coming in from the window gave a halo of light on the crown of her head. He had expected to see tears being held back in her eyes. But her blue-green irises just looked lost. And in that moment, he didn't know why, but he saw her as a child again. It was like the first time he'd seen her: sitting all alone, abandoned on the curb of a street. The look her child eyes had been nothing but lost and alone.

"I'm fine." Hayley said quickly when she saw the way he was looking at her. He looked down at the ground, giving her a moment to decide if she really was okay or not. But when he looked up again her face was just as composed.

"Can we just get out of here…I just want to go-" Hayley stopped herself before she could finish what her heart was telling her to say.

"Home?" Elijah proposed.

"I didn't mean to say that." Hayley began sputtering the words out and then stopped when she watched him stand firmer and put his hands his suit pockets. It was his way of saying she didn't need to be defensive. "I know that we can't go back to Chicago. I know." She sighed as she ran her fingers through her hair.

Elijah walked to her. His hand slid down her neck and rested on her shoulder in comfort. "It will be your home again. If that is what you wish. But right now, it is not safe."

Hayley took his hand from her shoulder and held it in her own. "Our home." She whispered. It was meant to be hopeful and strong, but it just sounded sad as her eyes refused to lift from the ground. She cleared her throat and a small smile tried her lips. Then she quickly kissed him and traced the line of his cheekbone as she barely pulled away. "But right now…I just want to go. Please. I can't stay here any longer."

Elijah nodded his head. Why had he forced her to stay here for so long? Mystic Falls was her death place, her inept funeral, and her unmarked grave. But worst of all, it had become her prison.

"There is one last thing I must get." He glances at the few bags that are packed. Most were his, while she refused to let him flower her with gifts. "Then we will be on our way." He had called a loyal acquaintance to forge sets of identification for Hayley. It was the only thing taking them so long to leave. Although, they could travel by car without a passport, she would need it at some point. He wanted to get her as far away from this town as possible. And that involved leaving the country.

Elijah kissed her once again. His hands lingered on her cheeks. "I will be quick. And then we will never return to this place." Hayley quickly nodded.

"Should I find Kol?" She asked.

But he instantly shook his head. "He has disappeared for a reason. If he does not wish to join us, then he simply won't. Truth be told, it would be quite a relief."

Hayley smiled genuinely at that. "Go. The sooner you leave, the sooner you'll be back and then we can leave. I'll go tell Rebekah." Elijah gave her one final kiss on the cheek and then disappeared through the doorway. Hayley listened for him to leave out the front entrance. She took in a deep breath and exhaled, trying to calm any worry about Elijah leaving the house. Even though nothing had happened like Rebekah and her had believed, Hayley couldn't help but still feel that something was going on. Perhaps it was her natural intuition magnified by her vampirism.

Hayley left the room in search for Rebekah. She went to her bedroom but only found half a dozen Louis Vuitton cases of luggage. There were countless magazines strewn about the room. Pages of outfits, movies, and music were scattered in a circle on the room. It was like Rebekah had been studying on how to be a teenage girl in the 21st century.

"Rebekah?" Hayley called softly. She didn't have to raise her voice. The original would be able to hear her name from anywhere in the mansion. Hayley sighed when no one responded. She could look for her downstairs. But she heard Klaus moving around and she refused to face him.

Hayley fidgeted as she tried to deny in her mind that he scared her now. Her best friend had become a stranger. This town, these people had made him believe that he could never be his true self, just the monster they saw him as. Hayley somehow found her way to the edge of the stairs. She stared down, unable to find the courage go to the first floor. Then her ears picked up something, sounds that did not belong.

"Ah, decided the whole day thing was a waste of time, did we?" She heard Klaus say.

"I'm not going with you, Klaus." Hayley's eyes widened when she instantly recognized Elena's voice. She raced downstairs just in time to see Damon Salvatore and a boy she didn't recognize tackle Klaus to the ground. Without thinking about it, Hayley started forward to rip them away from him. But someone grabbed her from behind, their arms wrapped tightly around her.

"You weren't supposed to be here." They said hastily. Hayley didn't have to struggle and turn around to know it was Stefan speaking to her.

"Leave him alone!" She yelled at Damon and the boy as she fought against Stefan's hold on her. Damon hardly acknowledged her as he was clearly having a hard time holding Klaus down. He was the original hybrid after all.

"Stefan! Take her down!" He roared at his brother.

The threat against Hayley threw Klaus into an even greater rage. She watched as he threw Damon off of him, leaving the boy alone to fight him alone. Elena viewed in horror at the edge of the room. But Hayley was busy watching Klaus in dismay as he glared at Stefan for even touching her. Before he could charge at him, Damon and Tyler tackled him once again. And all Hayley could process was Stefan's hands enclosing around her neck just before they broke it and she was thrown out of consciousness.

Klaus tried to hurl himself at Stefan but Tyler and Damon held onto him tightly. Then Stefan sped right in front of him and his fingers grasped into his skin and around Klaus' heart. The hybrid let out an exclamation of pain but continued to fight against the three of them. Then he gasped when he could feel his heart start to slow. They were desiccating him. Klaus could feel his body slowly shutting down. His eyes fell on Hayley who was on the floor, her neck broken. They weren't going to kill her. At least he knew that.

* * *

Hayley slowly awoke with an aching pain in her neck and a raging migraine. She was breathing heavily and everything around her was quiet. Her eyes still rested closed. She was scared what they would find once she opened them. Then she felt a finger slowly move a streak of hair off her cheek and behind her ear.

She opened her eyes and saw Kol kneeling down at her side. He had his signature smirk on, but it was different. For once, Hayley felt like he had to force it. Something was wrong. That was when everything rushed back to her. They took Nik. And she had failed to stop them.

Hayley quickly got onto her knees. But she had moved too quickly. Her migraine pulsed against her skull. Instinctively, her palm went to her forehead, begging the pain to subside. Her eyelids clenched shut, trying to reduce the light.

"Easy, darling." Kol said without his usual boldness.

"Is-is he dead?" Hayley whispered. Her eyes were closed as she asked him. She was too terrified to read his face. Somehow she knew that Kol would know whom she was talking about. It would explain his forced smirk and his unusual niceness.

"They can't. The idiots descend from Niklaus. They know if they kill him they will die too." Kol informed her. Hayley stared at him in shock and confusion.

"No one told me they were connected to him." She said, dazed. Then she realized that she was too. Damon had been the one to give her the single drop of blood. Suddenly, Hayley realized that it made her sad to know that it wasn't Elijah she originated from.

"They desiccated him." Kol's statement brought Hayley out of her thoughts. "The Salvatores planned on throwing him in the Atlantic. Even I must admit, it was a good plan…until it wasn't." He said with a smug smirk.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Elijah and Rebekah went to negotiate with them. There's no way they're even leaving town with his body. Elijah has some rather decent connections with witches. Even if the Salvatores try to take him, Niklaus is probably awake by now." His eyes went distant. "He deserves it. A taste of his own medicine would have done him some good."

Hayley stood up from the ground now. Kol stopped kneeling as well and gave her a questioning look. "Where are they?"

"What does it matter? It is all taken care of." He shrugged.

She slammed him against the wall. Her hands grasped his shoulders. It came out of nowhere and that was the only reason he didn't stop her. "Kol! Are you an idiot? They still have two stakes that can kill all of you! Tell me where they are!" In Hayley's anger, her eyes turned black and her fangs showed themselves.

Before she could say anything more to him. He turned her around so she was slammed against the wall and had his hand tightly wrapped around her throat. His eyes remained human but Hayley could read the rage in them. Kol moved so close that she could feel his breath on her face. For a moment, she thought his lips would touch hers just to spite her and show that he was in control.

"Don't ever do that again." His voice was an octave lower and each word felt like it was said for a minute each. Hayley held her breath. Her usual bravery evaporated with the rage Kol was struggling to contain. Or maybe he wasn't trying to contain it at all. Hayley slowly nodded her head and didn't breathe until he released her.

Kol stepped back with a satisfied smirk on his lips. Hayley's eyes narrowed. While Klaus scared her because hiding his emotions made him unpredictable, Kol _wanted_ to be unpredictable. That's what made her more nervous.

"Kol," She started nervously, worried that even uttering a word would cause him to snap her neck. "I have-"

"Oh please, spare me the nauseating details. I know, I know. You're in love with my brothers. You'd do anything for them. Blah, blah, blah." Kol said tiredly.

"What?" Hayley's fear faded slightly from his statement. "Kol, I'm not in love with Klaus. We're friends…_were_ friends. I don't know anymore. But I was never in love with him. I mean… I love him. But not in the way you think." Then she could tell that he was observing her closely, measuring every word she said to see if he believed it or not.

"You toy with them and you don't even know it." Kol said softly. There wasn't any aggression left in his tone. "I don't think you realize the impression you have on others."

Hayley glared at his underlying accusations. "Need I remind you that this is the 21st century? You missed a lot while you were locked in a coffin. Like the fact that it's possible for a guy and girl to be _just _friends." Then she held up her hands and shook her head. "You know what? Why am I wasting my time even trying to explain this? They're in trouble! So, please Kol, I'm begging you. Just tell me where they are."

But Kol's lips just tightened into a straight line instead of opening to tell her what she wanted to hear. He took in a deep breath and stepped closer to her once again but not as far as invading her space. "I'm sick of seeing you try to save this family. It's pathetic. We're broken and we will forever be that way. We were broken before our mother even turned us into vampires. Just stop trying to fix us already."

Hayley's jaw clenched as she broke eye contact with him. It was a shameful thing to be called pathetic, even if it was being said from someone like Kol. She'd doubted her ability on fulfilling Esther's last request the moment it was absolute to her. There was no need for anyone to give her any more disbelief. But Kol gave it to her anyway.

"I never tried saving or fixing any of you." Hayley whispered. "I only wanted to show you that you didn't have to be the people you've tricked yourself into believing you are."

Kol tilted his head, considering her plea. He reached forward and traced the line of her cheekbone. She flinched away after a second. He smirked at her repulsion. But his hand remained extended in the air, just hovering over her skin. "I knew from the time I met you that you were tough…tougher than anyone of Mystic Falls. But I never thought you were a fool, until now." He finally put his hand down and away from her face. "Daggering siblings when we disagree with them. Look at what this family has become. Elijah's disgusted with our constant bickering."

"But he's here! And he spent a hundred years trying to avenge your deaths, to punish Nik for everything he believed he did!" Hayley defended.

"The only reason he's stayed is because of you, your friendship with Niklaus', and your recent transformation into a vampire. If you never came here and he had awoken us, he would have immediately seen that our years in the coffin didn't change us one bit. We're still the immoral monsters that were daggered. Elijah would never have showed his face again he'd be so sickened with us." Then he laughed darkly from imagining the alternate place. "How long did you honestly think Rebekah and I would've lasted with you?"

Hayley saw when there was no condition to fight any longer. Kol would think what he wanted, no matter what she pointed out to him. But maybe he was right. Maybe Elijah was as disgusted with all of them as Kol believed. But she just couldn't see it.

"I'm not giving up…on any of you." She confirmed.

"Then you're an even bigger fool." Kol stated firmly.

Hayley shook her head. "Whatever. I'll find them myself." She shrugged; truly appalled by how little Kol cared about his family and how easily he'd given up on them. She shoved past him and knew he wouldn't try to stop her. She'd find them on her own. As she walked outside, she flipped the hood of her leather jacket over her head. Not out of cold, but just out of habit. She shrugged and tried to think of where she could possibly find them.

As Hayley quickly moved through the small town of Mystic Falls, she found dark wonderment at how her life had become this way: constantly in fear for the people she loved, risking her almost immortal life, dying while trying to survive as a human. Then a memory from her childhood flickered into her mind. Ever since she had been turned, they appeared out of nowhere, as if they were upset they'd almost been completely forgotten during those last years of her human life.

_"They threw them out." She'd said to Elijah. Her head hung low. She was only seven at the time. It was one of the visits where Elijah's only interaction was walking her home. _

_ "Excuse me?" Elijah asked her calmly, not fully understanding what she was saying. _

_ "My parents threw out all my coloring books. They said I was too old for them. And the doctor said I color too much." She had been holding his hand as they walked and her shoulder kept brushing against his leg from walking so close to him. But her eyes had stayed glued on the sidewalk pavement. _

_ Elijah stopped abruptly at the mentioning of a doctor. He let go of her hand and kneeled in front of her so they were at eye level. "Doctor?" He asked her gently. _

_ "Yeah. At first I thought it was one where I get shots. But the room was really weird. And he kept asking me weird questions and writing in his notebook. Then he made me go sit outside and he talked to my parents for a really long time." Elijah nodded and tried to give her a small, reassuring smile. It may have been confusing to Hayley, but he knew that she was talking about a psychiatrist. But why on earth could a child, especially her, require one?_

_ "My parents say I need to learn how to control my anger." She whispered, hoping he wouldn't actually hear her. It sort of slipped out accidentally. But even as a naïve child, she trusted Elijah with the secrets no adolescent should possess. Her small eyes finally looked up at him, trying to gage what he would say about her confession. His eyes were filled with understanding and patience, but she wasn't able to read it. "I can't help it though! My parents ignore me. They like my sister more than me!" She panicked from not knowing what he was thinking. _

_ "And what about this?" Elijah made the mistake of teasing her by pointing at her nose that had just been bleeding moments ago from the fight she got into. _

_ "He deserved it!" Hayley defended. _

_Then she became confused when Elijah chuckled at her. "I'm sure he did." _

_Hayley crossed her arms and eyed him. "Why aren't you yelling at me?"_

"_Why should I?" He asked earnestly as his head tilted._

"_Because you're a grownup." She informed him softly. _

_Elijah took a deep breath and leaned in a little closer. "Hayley, did that doctor say anything to you?" A flicker of anger passed as he thought of someone talking to her in such a condescending and superior tone, saying she needed to change. Her childish temper gave her a certain fire that he found admirable. But Elijah cleared his throat when he realized it reminded him of Niklaus when he was only a child. _

"_He said I should talk to someone. And I told him I already did." Hayley said it as if it was the most obvious this in the world. _

"_Who do you talk to?" He asked curiously, expecting her to say it was her sister. _

"_You." She shrugged with an innocent smile. Elijah waited for her to continue. "I talk to you even when you're gone. I use my imagination." She told him proudly. "You're the only grownup who listens to me. So whenever I get mad, I just pretend you're with me." Elijah's expression appeared slightly stunned. Hayley saw it and giggled with her hands covering her mouth. When she removed them, she smiled at him so sweetly that anyone would adore her. _

"'_Lijah?" Her smile fell while waiting for him to get out of his daze._

"_Yes."_

"_Do you get mad?" _

_He smirked at her question. Elijah was known throughout the supernatural world as being one of the most frightening vampires. But he always remained composed, even when he murdered his victims. "Not very often." He admitted charmingly. _

"_Hmm." Her face scrunched. "What do you do?" _

"_I take a deep breath." He said after thinking about it for a few seconds. And he could immediately tell it wasn't the answer she wanted. It was too simple for her liking. Elijah could send the little side conversation had come to an end. He started standing up from his kneeling. _

"_Wait!" Hayley shrieked then started giggling. "Piggyback ride!" She urged. Elijah opened his mouth to refuse, but stopped. He couldn't deny this little girl anything she wanted. Finally, he nodded and turned around. _

"_Don't let me fall." Hayley whispered in his ear. _

_To a vampire, she was like carrying nothing. "I would never." He stated. _

Hayley let out a deep breath as she stopped reminiscing on the past. She turned slowly in a 360, completely lost on where to even look for the Elijah and Nik. For once, Elijah needed her whether he knew it or not. He had always been there for her. But she needed to be the hero this time.

* * *

**Im just gonna say sorry again. I never meant to make you wait this long. **


	27. Part XXVII

**Thank you for the reviews! Oddly, i've been getting a ton for my other story Silence Changes. Which is really random. But whatever. So this chapter is a little shorter and i edited it pretty quickly. I'm not gonna have time to write in the next few days, so i wanted to get this to you as fast as possible. ENJOY! :)**

* * *

Rebekah and Elijah were hastily moving through the woods to get to where they would meet the Salvatores. Rebekah kept watching Elijah from the corner of her eye. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were narrowed as he stared straight ahead.

"It bothered you, seeing her like that." She said softly. Hayley's neck had been snapped and her body lay in a contorted manner when they found her back at the mansion. It didn't take much to understand what had happened. Hayley tried stopping them from taking Klaus, even after the slow decaying of their friendship. Elijah said nothing after his sister's statement about what she believed. "Kol will make sure she's okay. As much of a pain he is, he'll look after her." She tried to reassure him. But Elijah still said nothing as they coursed forward.

Rebekah shook her head at how he refused to speak with her. It took a lot for her to open up and speak sympathetically to her brothers. And he just threw it back in her face by refusing to acknowledge her. "She's tougher than you give her credit for." Rebekah added with a matter-of-factly attitude. Elijah finally just merely glanced at her. It was a small reaction, but the first he'd given her in the one-way conversation.

"Why didn't you ever tell me you found Hayley when she was only a child?" Rebekah's tone lightened and became very genuine. It was new information that she had just been told from Hayley earlier in the evening. Rebekah nurtured a new respect for brother. There was no way meeting his true love when she so young would be easy for either of them. And Rebekah immediately thought of how protective he must have been, trying to keep her a secret so Niklaus couldn't use her against him. But Nik would have never been able to do that. Their whole family knew that now.

Unexpectedly, Elijah stopped and fully faced his sister. "You refused to even speak to me, until recently. Such a personal subject would have been even more unlikely to arise." He stated roughly. "Forgive me for believing you could not care less about my relationship with Hayley." He added darkly as he started walking again.

Rebekah sighed in annoyance as she followed after him. "You know, she won't let us keep him desiccated." She didn't have to say Niklaus' name for Elijah to understand the quick change of subject.

"I am well aware that she will be against it completely. But it is not her choice to make. Niklaus will remain in the coffin. Perhaps it will teach him some manners." Elijah replied as he tilted his head away from a low and thick tree branch.

"I doubt she will see it that way." Rebekah muttered forebodingly. But her brother ignored her comment. They were close to the spot that the Salvatores had reluctantly agreed to meet them. After Elijah promised Elena over the phone that they would not wake him, she agreed to meet them for the exchange. But none of them had been expecting one of Elijah's witch friends to awaken Niklaus if he gave such a cue. It was the plan b if anything should go wrong.

Elijah suddenly held out his arm, stopping his sister from continuing forward. "What is it?" She whispered as her eyes darted around the forest.

"Do you feel that?" He asked her without making eye contact. Her expression became confused when she couldn't sense what her brother apparently could. She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. "Something's not right." He almost hissed.

"You're starting to sound like Hayley." Rebekah muttered in annoyance.

Elijah's eyes flickered to his sisters. "She's always had good intuition. Her ability to read situations better than those around her could have been increased when she was turned. Maybe you should take it more seriously." Without giving Rebekah any time to answer, he faced forward once again. "Stay cautious, sister." He warned.

They stepped into a clearing and saw the group of teenagers: Caroline, Elena, Bonnie, Stefan, and Damon. Alaric stood a few feet to the side of them, appearing out of place with his age and sense of maturity. Elijah glanced at the coffin that was closed. It would only take a matter of seconds for the witch's spell to work and his hybrid brother to awaken from his desiccation if that's what Elijah so chose.

"I'll just go ahead and announce that I am not for this plan at all." Damon was the first to speak with a dark and aggravated tone.

Rebekah gave a condescending smirk. "Yes. Well, you underestimate how easy you are to read, Damon." Her mocking earned a glare from the older Salvatore.

"How do we know that you will keep in like this? That you won't wake him as soon as you have him?" Elena spoke with a nervous tone. "We all know he wants my blood. What makes you think you can stop him from coming after me again?" She challenged.

"I give you my word, Elena. I will not revive Klaus within yours, nor even within your children's lifetimes." Elijah said honestly.

"Why should we trust you?" Damon intervened. "You've screwed us over once before. You didn't think we forgot about the sacrifice. Oh, and that little kidnapping stunt you pulled on Elena."

"An eye for an eye, Damon. You endanger something of mine; I take something of yours. And we are all aware that if I had gone through with killing Niklaus, you'd all be dead." Elijah countered quickly. His intelligence was above all of theirs and he wouldn't allow himself to be chastised.

Damon's eyes narrowed at the original. "Right." He growled. "But let's make something clear. If you break your promise, know that I won't think twice about hunting down your girlfriend and ripping her heart out. I don't care if you kill me as a result. Knowing you've been finally put in your place will be sweeter than immortality."

The threat was too far and unacceptable. In the blink of an eye, Elijah rushed forward but was pushed back by an invisible wall. His eyes zipped across the barrier even though he couldn't see it. "What is this?" He growled.

"Damon…" Elena said quietly. Clearly she was just as confused about the wall as the originals. Elijah glared at Damon, but he looked just as confused.

Rebekah slowly walked toward her brother but was stopped a couple yards away from him by another barrier. "What the bloody hell is going on?" She yelled.

"Bonnie, what are you doing?" Elena asked, slightly panicked.

"I'm not doing anything!" Bonnie defended as she watched with her eyes wide.

Elijah growled and moved toward Rebekah. But he was stopped right where she had been. He realized quickly that he was stuck in an invisible box. "Enough!" He roared. But after reading all of their faces, it was obvious none of this was their doing. Elijah stopped testing his invisible cage and took out his cellphone from his pocket. He texted the witch and demanded that she awake Niklaus. She was powerful enough to do it from a distance. If Elijah or his family were in some danger, he wouldn't leave his brother helpless inside of a coffin.

"Tell me what the bloody hell is happening before I rip your pretty hair out!" Rebekah snarled as her gaze tore into Elena's.

"Why would we lure you here just to kill you?" Stefan finally spoke up, along with taking a step forward, shielding Elena's body with his own. "It'd be suicide."

"Suicide would be refusing to tell me what's happening." Rebekah countered.

"ENOUGH!" A voice boomed in the distance. The entire group followed the sound across the opening to the other edge of the forest. Out of the shadows came a line of people. Almost two-dozen figures emerged into the moonlight. "No one will harm the doppelgänger child." The people seemed to be moving out in a V formation and the woman at the head was speaking to them. Elijah's eyes raced across the group and stopped on the one person he recognized. Genevieve. She seemed to immediately sense his gaze for she stared back in return. They were witches, all of them.

"Alaric, take Elena and Bonnie home." Stefan said quietly but his tone was still obviously nervous. Elijah watched Alaric try to slowly back away as he had both girls' arms in his grasp.

"Stop." The woman at the head stated loudly. Alaric winced but didn't move. "We do not harm our own and the child has suffered enough." The woman spoke of Bonnie and Elena.

"You're witches?" Damon asked with disgust. The witch tilted her head and glared at him. Damon cried out in pain and fell to his knees.

"You will address us with respect!" The witch snapped at him. Then her gaze turned to Elijah who was still stuck in his barrier. Damon's body relaxed as the agony stopped. The witch stepped toward Elijah and flicked her wrist. A fire erupted in the middle of the forest's clearing. "Now that I have your attention, allow me to introduce my family and myself. I am Louelle and we are the oldest, most powerful witches in the world. A family kept in secret for centuries. It was necessary with the amount of deaths our kind suffers."

Elijah stared down Genevieve who was now watching the leader of their group. He remembered her sharing similar information the night he met her. She was the most powerful witch he had ever met besides his own mother. If her family was as strong as her, there was no telling what they were capable of. Elijah turned to Rebekah and moved as close to her as his barrier would allow.

"Rebekah, go! Get out of here now!" He whispered in a hush tone so none of the witches would be able to hear. His sister's eyes widened from seeing the beginning signs of worry in her brother, an emotion he almost never showed. Rebekah shook her head, defying his request. "Rebekah, please, do as I say. Go back to the mansion, get Hayley and Kol, and run as fast as you can." Elijah hissed.

Rebekah's expression changed when he mentioned Hayley. She finally nodded before trying to step back. But something stopped her movement. It felt like her feet were glued to the forest floor. "Elijah," She whispered in panic. "I can't move."

"It was foolish to try and escape." The witch interrupted the sibling's quiet conversation. "You can't leave." Elijah whipped around to glare at the witch.

"Why are you here?" Stefan finally asked the question that everyone was too confused to ask.

The witch turned away from the originals to face him. "For centuries, we have watched the damaged you monsters cause. But the worst part is the witches you hurt with problems that should never have been their own." Her eyes darkened as she glanced back at Elijah and Rebekah. "Word travels fast and it didn't take long for our family to hear about the link made amongst the original family. And of the damage it causes when an original is killed."

"How could you have possibly heard about that?" Damon challenged. Obviously the pain inflicted on him earlier hadn't taught him anything. But the witch ignored him.

"Our family made a decision: we are sick of innocent lives being taken." Louelle stated so firmly that everyone's attention was on her. "You will no longer destroy the innocent lives of witches or humans."

Elena looked at Stefan and Damon with a worried look. They couldn't kill the originals. Thousands, maybe even millions, would die with them. The entire vampire race would be killed, including all of the people she loved.

Elijah allowed himself half a glance towards the coffin that waited in the shadows behind the Salvatores. It didn't seem that the witches had noticed it yet. And he hoped they never did. He wished, by some miracle, Niklaus could escape this nightmare. If he were safe, Hayley would be too.

"We'll start with you." Louelle stated while her eyes locked with Elijah's.

"No." Rebekah surprised herself by muttering.

"Don't worry. We don't force suffering onto others as you have done for your millennium on this earth." Louelle said to Rebekah. Elena and her friends stood frozen in place, completely unaware if they should help or run and take Klaus' coffin with them. Stefan couldn't stop shifting his weight as his eyes raced across the scene, wanting to help, but not knowing how. Caroline made eye contact with him, trying to silently communicate and see if he had some sort of plan.

The rest of the witches watched patiently from a distance. They seemed to see no need for backing up their leader; she was perfectly capable of handling the massacre of an entire species on her own.

Louelle stepped closer to Elijah, only feet away. But she stopped and her head whipped to face Damon. "You." She said powerfully. "You have something we need." Damon squinted at her, unaware of what she spoke of. Then he dropped to his knees in anguish once again. As he kneeled on the ground, a piece of wood stuck out of the back pocket of his jeans. Louelle's eyes seemed to light up as she spotted it. She held out her hand and the weapon flew into her grasp like she had used telekinesis.

Elijah was defenseless while in a barrier. But he stood his ground as the witch walked closer and closer to him. Louelle narrowed her eyes when she was unable to read any sign of fears in the vampire's gaze. She stopped just a foot away from him. Elijah knew that she was just outside the barrier, using it to taunt him.

"Do you not fear death?" She asked him.

Elijah said nothing as his jaw clenched.

"You deny the accusations we have heaved onto you and your kind?"

"I do not." Elijah said evenly. His response seemed to surprise her.

Then the witch looked him up and down as if she found something about him that she hadn't noticed earlier. "That is something I never expected." She whispered more to herself than to him. He didn't bother asking what she was talking about. "Love, devotion, sacrifice: You wreak of it." She muttered quickly. "It's a waste for any vampire to even attempt such things." Her stunned state disappeared just as swiftly as it had arrived. Suddenly, she raised her arm that held the stake and it flew down. Elijah caught it, perplexed as to why the witch was stupid enough to think she could kill him so easily. Louelle growled at his setback. Then Elijah lost all control of his body as he heard an excruciating ringing in his head. He could tell all too well that it wasn't just one witch evoking such agony onto him. Somehow he was able to still sense that the invisible barrier had been dropped as he kneeled on the ground with his head in his hands.

"Stop it! Stop hurting him!" Rebekah shrieked as she helplessly watched her brother being tortured and waiting for his death.

Elijah managed to see Louelle's feet stepping slowly toward him. Her hand reached down to lift his chin to stare at her. The pain had stopped. But his body was now numb. He couldn't move. Knowing he could do nothing was worse than the pain.

"It will be over soon." The witch thought she was speaking words of comfort. But Elijah didn't fear pain or torture. Ever since he had met a certain child, he only feared for her safety and his family's. He'd failed both. "Perhaps your mother will be waiting on the other side to welcome you." Louelle mocked just before raising her hand to plunge the stake into his heart. Elijah closed his eyes, not seeing the point in watching his own demise. But instead of feeling the strike into his chest, he heard a sound of attack.

Elijah's eyes snapped open to see that the witch had been taken down. But his strange relief was instantly replaced with horror as he recognized his savior: Hayley. She had Louelle by the throat. With her free hand, she grabbed the witch's hand that held the stake and twisted it in one fluid motion, only stopping when there was a loud snap. Louelle cried out in pain. The witches, who had remained calm in the distance, now saw a reason for intervening. A man stepped forward quickly with his hand outstretched. Hayley sensed his approach and glared at him. But just a moment later, her grip on Louelle slacked and let the witch cower to the ground. Hayley let out a yelp of pain, but tried to push it to the back of her mind as she took a step toward the man. The warlock seemed surprised at her endurance and his hand shook a little as he sent another wave of magic toward her. Hayley could take no more. It felt like a million daggers flying into her stomach. She collapsed to her knees, her hands clutching her torso.

The warlock barely looked at the stake resting on the ground next Louelle as he too brought it to his grasp magically. A new surge of energy went through Elijah as he realized that they were no longer focusing their killing on originals. He rushed forward but was instantly thrown back. He began to panic when he saw that they had put up the barrier once again. All Elijah could do was watch in horror as Hayley writhed in pain, unaware that the warlock was closer to staking her with every step.

"No! NO!" Elijah shouted in horror. Then he looked down at the ground. He couldn't watch her die while he could do nothing. It was the worst cruelty of all. But his mind, as if he wanted more heartbreak, slowly crept up to see that the warlock stood right above Hayley now. The white-oak stake looked oddly silver in his hand. Hayley regarded him, with fear in her eyes. She knew, Elijah thought. She knew she was about to die. Somehow Elijah was able to see the Salvatores from the corner of his eye. They had tried to help her as soon as the attack started. But it seemed now they too were in their own enclosure as well.

Then there was a bang and movement flashed before Elijah's vision. He watched as someone shoved the warlock away from Hayley and then broke his neck, almost in the same second. The figure flew to Louelle and ripped out her heart with their hand. Elijah slowly stood from the ground as the person stopped moving. Niklaus' back was to his brother and sister as he faced the group of witches with his hands out to the side. As soon as the havoc had started, witches panicked and screamed; now realizing their plan wasn't as perfect as they believed. Elijah could even hear some of them muttering 'the hybrid' as they ran into the trees. Either they were the smart ones or the cowards. Yet, a handful stood their ground, ignoring the others.

Elijah disregarded the chaos. His eyes remained glued on Hayley, begging her silently to get up. She rolled to her knees, but a curtain of hair fell so he was unable to see her face. She got up in a limp of sort and turned to face Klaus. Her posture said it all: she was weak and hurting.

"A plan to abolish my family and I wasn't even invited?" Klaus announced to the small group of witches and warlocks that still remained.

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**I left you on a cliff hanger. Sorry I'm not sorry lol. **

_**IMPORTANT-**_

_**So, after this story is done. I was thinking about a **_possible_** AU (which i've never done) with Hayley&Elijah in the 18th Century. That's all I'm going to tell you as of now. But let me know if you'd be interested in that. If not, then why would I bother? LOL**_


	28. Part XXVIII

**Thank you for the reviews. They keep me going.**

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Hayley watched Nik then her eyes squeezed shut from a lingering pain. The torture spell may have stopped, but her body still burned as if the pain had broken into her bloodstream.

"A plan to abolish my family and I wasn't even invited?" Klaus said to the few witches who still stood their ground. There was the well-known mischievous and evil smirk on his lips. But when Hayley read his eyes, she could tell he was livid from someone trying to hurt the people he loved. She let out a gasp of breath. How could she have believed him to be that accused monster? He _did_ care about all of them.

Hayley turned and instantly met Elijah's eyes. Without missing a beat, she rushed over to him and he met her halfway. The wall had dropped in the chaos, letting Elijah out of his cage. The second she was within his reach, his arms wrapped around her tightly. A gasp of relief escaped his mouth.

"Are you okay?" He rushed, barely pulling away to only grasp her face in his hands. His eyes tore into hers to make sure he could read any lie she dared to mutter. Hayley nodded her head. She seemed to be at a loss for words. Elijah had almost died and right in front of her eyes. But he was saved. _She _saved him at the last minute.

"You're lying. You are in pain." Elijah said right after her head shook.

"No-No, I'm fine." She was finally able to speak.

He looked over her shoulder to see the few witches facing his brother. His eyes searched for the redhead he knew. But it seemed Genevieve had disappeared.

"It's always witches who believe they have finally found a way to end my family." Klaus began addressing his new enemy as he sauntered forward a bit.

Elijah brought his attention back Hayley, ignoring his brother. "Hayley, you will take Rebekah and go with the Salvatores." She looked at him like he had just asked her to kill him. Elijah knew it was a strange thing to request. But he just needed her to get to safety. He couldn't hold onto his famous composure if she were in any sort of danger. And while the Salvatores hated his family and hurt Hayley once, no one would hurt her now. Even if Damon tried, Elena or one of her friends would stop him.

"What are you talking about? I'm staying. I'm staying here with you!" She urged. The words sped from her lips like he would disappear any second. She took a step back so her face was no longer in the grasp of his hands.

"It was rather stupid of you to stand your ground. I will let you know now, none of you are leaving this clearing alive." Klaus threatened casually as Elijah and Hayley had their own, hushed conversation.

"Hayley, listen to me!" Elijah said calmly but she could easily read the insistence in his voice. He grabbed her shoulders. "I need you to leave. I cannot focus on anything, but your safety." But as he finished his begging, he noticed that her eyes had drifted away from his. She was looking at the two witches that were now dead. "Hayley!" He didn't bother matching where she was looking.

"Elijah." She whispered as her eyes widened.

"You give us empty threats, hybrid." A warlock took one step forward and spoke with an unusual calmness. It made Klaus' arrogant smirk disappear from what he saw as a sign of disrespect. Then the warlock seemed to be looking at the dead bodies just like Hayley. "I thought, after all of your immortality, you'd remember that killing a witch never ends their magic. It only makes our family's stronger." The warlock added with a smirk and gestured to the bodies with his hand.

Klaus whipped around to Hayley and Elijah who were standing the closest to the bodies. But Elijah's back was to his brother while he firmly held Hayley's shoulders. She stared in horror at the bodies. Klaus watched too to see that there was a black mist that seemed to be escaping off of both the witch and warlock's bodies. Elijah finally followed Hayley's gaze and spotted it almost at the same time. He immediately pushed Hayley back and behind him even though he had no idea what it was.

Elena and all of her friends, who had been stunned by the turn of events, watched along with the originals. Damon stood a few feet in front of the group from his stumbling with the pain the witches had thrust upon him. But now he stood tall as if he was protecting everyone that stood behind him. He always tried to play the villain. But a true villain would have fled long ago, not standing at the front line where he would sacrifice himself in order to protect others.

Klaus' gaze narrowed at the mist that was rising into the air from the bodies. He whipped back around to face the warlock who turned down his threats. But all of the witches were gone. No one had seen them flee. Everyone had been too occupied trying to figure out what was happening to the witch and warlock's bodies.

"What's happening?" Hayley whispered as Elijah kept pushing her away from it and closer to Rebekah.

"I have never seen anything like it." He admitted only to her. Then everyone watched as it stopped rising and hovered just about their heads in the middle of the forest clearing. "Rebekah, take Hayley with you. Get out of town." He knew it was pointless to ask Hayley himself.

"I'm not leaving." She stood her ground. And she glanced at Rebekah to see she had no intention of leaving either.

Elijah opened his mouth to argue with both of them, with his eyes still on the mist. Except, suddenly, it flew from the sky and to the ground. But it didn't hit the forest floor. It went directly at Damon Salvatore.

The young vampire's eyes rolled to the back of his head as it leaned far back in a disturbing manner. "Damon!" Elijah heard Elena yell. She tried rushing forward, but Stefan held her away from him. Klaus was a few yards away, watching intently without any sense of alarm like everyone else.

Damon's neck suddenly snapped back to normalcy. Then his head turned, ever so slowly, until his eyes met Klaus'. But instead of seeing Damon's beautiful and glowing blue eyes, Klaus was met with blackness that smoked over Damon's entire eyeball. "You will finally learn what it's like to lose someone you care about, hybrid. If we can't kill you, your punishment will be to live knowing you are the only reason the people you love are dead." It was Damon's voice speaking, but not him. The witch, Louelle, and the warlock had taken over the vampire's body.

Klaus clenched his jaw tightly. It was a stupid move to simply kill them. He should have force-fed them his blood so they were in transition. Now there was magic in the body of a vampire: a deadly weapon. But Klaus' smirk barely faltered. He had to keep up his façade. There was a reputation to keep up. He shrugged his shoulders at Damon's body, trying to give off the exact opposite ambiance of fear or concern.

"You made your hybrids to fight the loneliness in your heart." Damon said as he stepped toward Klaus, whose smirk had disappeared completely. "Our family has a unique ability to look into other's hearts. It's even easier to read you vampires."

"First, it will be your sister, then your brother, then the girl who only died and became a vampire because she was your friend." He continued when Klaus remained speechless in the conversation.

With the mentioning of Hayley and his sister, Elijah turned around to make eye contact with both of them. He was about to compel Hayley to leave and take his sister with her. It was one of the hardest decisions to make, but it was the only way to get her to flee to safety. But just as he made eye contact with her, he felt a brush of wind on the back of his neck. He turned to see Damon right in his face.

In the same moment of his turn, Elijah grabbed for Damon's neck and attempted to break it. Perhaps it would end all of this before it began. But he was surprised when the young vampire grabbed his wrist and was somehow capable of ripping it away. Elijah paused for just a split second, stunned at Damon's new power. The witches must be channeling some sort of magic to make him stronger. But Elijah's hesitation was too much. Damon grabbed him by the neck and threw him yards away. Before he could even hit the ground, Damon was hovering over Elijah with a white oak stake someway already in his grasp.

Hayley was the first person to act out of everyone who was caught off guard by Damon's possessed actions. She rushed forward and challenged Damon, giving Elijah time to get off the ground and defend himself. But she underestimated Damon's new strength. Her hold over him was flipped and her body was trapped underneath his, pinning her to the forest floor. Elijah's eyes darkened as he saw her once again put into danger. But just as he took a step toward them, Damon held up his palm at him and a force of magic threw Elijah back once again. He landed right in the middle of the field.

Klaus had refused to intervene. If he stopped Damon, wouldn't it just prove that he cared about the people he threatened to hurt? But he underestimated how much he could handle watching them get hurt. Damon was choking Hayley. Klaus tightened and unclenched his fists from trying not to stop it.

Elijah instantly got off the ground but once again he was in his own invisible cage. Rebekah was too terrified and confused on what to do. But when she tried to finally intervene, she couldn't get anywhere near her brothers or Hayley.

Damon glanced at Elijah fighting against the invisible barrier and then looked back down at Hayley who struggled against his hold. "I'll deal with you in a second." He said to her that almost sounded like the real Damon Salvatore. As soon as he got up and walked a few feet away from him, Hayley rolled to her feet and prepared to tackle him to the ground and fight with every ounce of strength she had left.

As if he could read her mind, Hayley fell back to her knees and screeched with pain. "Don't try anything again." She was somehow able to hear Damon mutter as he walked toward Elijah. Leaves became tangled in Hayley's blonde-red hair as her body trembled on the ground. Klaus couldn't take it any longer. He rushed to her side, completely helpless on how to help.

"Hayley, I'm sorry." He whispered. It took a situation as deadly as the current one for him to finally put his stubbornness aside and admit that he had made a terrible mistake. How could he have ever chosen his hybrids, a fake and forced family, over his true one? He kneeled at Hayley's side whose eyes were clenched shut from the agony.

"Help-Help him." She managed to drone through it. Klaus instantly moved his attention to Damon's possessed body as it walked toward Elijah, who stood firmly and looked as if he would kill Damon as soon as he was inside the enclosure.

Rebekah continued to test where she was able to move. And she let out a sound of relief when she was no longer being held back from Hayley and Klaus. She rushed to her side, ignoring Klaus who had got up and started walking toward Damon.

Hayley's pain pulsated less and less through her body. She opened her eyes and looked around to see what had happened while her pain blinded her. Slowly, she sat up to see Elijah was trapped and waiting for Damon to get close enough for an attack.

"Enough!" Klaus finally shouted. He stood his ground, facing Damon's back as he walked toward Elijah. He stopped but didn't turn to face Klaus. "You've made your point. But if you continue with this, you will only have lowered yourself to my vices."

Damon slowly turned, his eyes black as the night he stood in, and a smile appeared on his lips. But it wasn't the smirk that everyone always wanted to smack away. It was Louelle's smile. "I am on the other side now, hybrid. I will lower myself as much as I need to avenge the atrocity your mother created." Klaus had no rebuttal. He didn't know how to save his brother. Damon seemed to have entered to the Elijah's personal hell. Klaus walked as far forward as it would allow.

Hayley raced to his side. Klaus glanced down at her to see she was staring at Elijah with terror. She knew that there was no way he could win a fight against two magical spirits inside a dangerous vampire. She tore her gaze away from Elijah and looked at up at Klaus with the most wretched expression. "Do something." She whispered. But she looked back at Elijah who still stood his ground as Damon walked closer and closer to him. He knew that there was little chance of survival, but that didn't mean he was going down without a fight.

Damon held up his palm and Elijah was forced onto his knees by magic. Klaus watched the muscles ripple as his brother tried to fight the power. But Elijah stayed locked to the ground, looking up at Damon as he walked toward him. Klaus' stare raced around and he thought of something to end all of this. His eyes fell on a broken branch and broke half a dozen pieces into makeshift stakes. But when he threw them toward Damon, trying to kill the witch's host, they flimsily fell just before they reached him.

"She's too strong. She's probably channeling hundreds of witches and warlocks." Rebekah gasped as she stood behind her brother and Hayley. She could practically feel Hayley falling apart as she sensed Elijah's death approaching nearer and nearer. Damon stood barely an inch away from Elijah's hunkering and helpless form. A white oak stake was in his hand.

Elijah looked at it, hailing his death now. Then he glanced away and stared at Hayley. He didn't say a word. But everything in his gaze told her he was sorry. Sorry for putting her in his world, sorry for taking away her humanity, sorry for her immortality that would now be spent alone. As Hayley read it all, she shook her head and looked at the ground. Elijah looked at his brother in desperation. "Get her out of here!" He yelled. Elijah didn't want her to see. He knew what it would do to her.

Hayley raised her head and was met with another set of brown eyes: Elena. Hayley glared at the doppelgänger as dark thoughts raced through her mind. She wasn't giving up. She couldn't.

In the blink of an eye, Hayley sprinted across to the other side of the clearing and roughly grabbed Elena, dragging her away from her friends. Stefan took a step toward them, shocked by the sudden action. But Rebekah immediately knew what she was doing and blocked all of them. Stefan instantly began fighting with her, refusing to let the girl he loved be put into danger.

"Damon, I know you're in there somewhere." Hayley yelled angrily at him as his hand was raised with the stake in his grasp. "If you kill him, say goodbye to Elena." For a split second, Damon's blue irises showed through the blackness. But if Hayley had blinked, she would have missed them.

"A valiant effort, I admit." Louelle said through Damon's body. "But I can sense that you could never go through with it."

Hayley lowered her head and she glared into the black eyes. Her own went blood red and veins swarmed underneath. Her lower jaw fell just slightly to give her fangs room to breathe. "I'll do it." She growled as she could hear Elena's heartbeat beating rapidly. "Damon, either you fight this or I'll murder the girl you love."

Hayley didn't allow herself to meet Elijah's gaze. He didn't want her to do anything like this in order to save his life. And she knew that. Hayley's chest heaved up and down as she tried to find the immorality to kill a human being. It was inside her. It had always been. Esther had chosen her specifically from it to cater to both Elijah and her wicked son, Niklaus.

"Hayley, please don't do this." Elena begged as her hands clawed at her grip.

"Shut up." Hayley closed her eyes as she hissed the retort. Elijah's words rang in her head, _"We feel even more than humans. To some, it can become so overwhelming that they choose to suppress all emotions completely."_ Vampires could turn off their emotions.

Hayley opened her eyes slowly. It was like everything appeared dimmer but hard. There was no wave of panic as she glanced at Elijah who was still overpowered by Damon. But then Hayley stared at Elena's neck. Without hesitating, she bit into the doppelgänger's flesh and felt the warm blood go down her throat. It tasted so good she hardly heard the screams of protest from her friends. But she perfectly heard Damon yell. Maybe the witch had let him through for just a moment. So Hayley continued. But her feeding so hastily stopped when she felt a pain in her back. Her mouth unlatched itself from Elena's neck. Hayley glanced down to see a stake piercing out of her abdomen and surrounded by a blood stained shirt. Her mouth fell open from just feeling the pain when she realized she'd been staked. She turned to see Alaric holding an almost fainted Elena in his arms. He seemed apologetic for his act, knowing Hayley's motive for trying to save his unconnected daughter.

Klaus, who hadn't tried to stop Hayley's dark turn, took action at seeing the vampire hunter attack her. He raced over and snapped Alaric's neck in one swift movement. Hayley slowly fell to her knees in shock and pain from stake that was still inside of her. As she slowly pulled the stick out in a silent whimper, she heard Damon scream out. Her eyes snapped up to see that his were flashing back and forth between Damon's mesmerizing blue irises to the possessed blackness.

Hayley's humanity slipped back like a light slips underneath the crack of a closed door. She didn't want it back. She couldn't handle it so soon. But it erupted inside of her, forcing her to face the guilt from her attempted murder.

Damon moved to the edge of the imperceptible enclosure, his chest rising quickly in anger. His eyes settled on Klaus, who would usually look satisfied with his wickedness. But now he just stared at Damon, daring him to continue with his plans. Damon's blue eyes held the hybrid's for a second before snapping back to black and aggressively strode back to Elijah, who was still powerlessly stuck to his kneeling. He grabbed Elijah's shoulder as the original cowered to the ground, unable to move. And it one swift upper cut, Damon shoved the white oak stake right into Elena's chest. Just as the movement had begun, Rebekah panicked. She moved away from her blocking of Elena's friends and went right for Elena herself. In a second, the original bit into her wrist, forced fed Elena her blood, and snapped her neck.

But it was too late. It didn't stop Damon. It didn't get him to fight the possession. Elijah's face was emotionless as his heart gushed from being stabbed with the only weapon that could truly kill him.

"NO!" Hayley cried out. Tears flowed down her cheeks. "NO!" She kept screaming as Elijah's body erupted into flames. She moved toward the unseen barricade that had now vanished. Damon ignored her cries as he slowly looked around at the seen around him. It was no longer the witch and warlock that possessed him. The real Damon Salvatore seemed confused as to what happened. Louelle lied: she and the warlock never had the power to possess Damon long enough to kill everyone Klaus cared about. Especially when the people Damon's heart loved most were being threatened in front of him. His slow gaze across the crowd stopped on Hayley, who was being held back from Elijah's flames by Klaus' strong clutch. But his guilt was short lived as he saw the thing only a yard or two away from Hayley and the hybrid: Elena, or rather, Elena's corpse.

Hayley had fallen to the ground as she cried and cried and cried. Klaus held onto her, pressing her back to his chest as he kept her away from his brother's body. Rebekah had fled; scared for her own life once she could no longer save her eldest brother's. Klaus could feel Hayley's body trembling as the sobs escaped almost violently. The flames from Elijah reflected off of Klaus' blue eyes.

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**I don't think anyone is reading this anymore. But it's not the end. I'm tired. zzquil is hard to fight. im weird. **

**review?**


	29. Part IXXX

**Thank you, thank you, thank you. Jeez, some of you really came out of the woodwork. Enjoy ;)**

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Elijah thought he was dead. He _should be dead. But when he opened his eyes, everything was quiet. There was no fire crackly or trees rustling. All was silent. Except for one thing: Hayley's screaming. He glanced up as she stared right at him. Her body shook as tears streamed down her cheeks. She would have fallen from her knees to the ground if it weren't for Klaus holding her against his chest. A sick feeling started in Elijah's gut. He could count on one hand how many times he had seen Hayley cry, most of them were from when she was only a child. But seeing her like this, completely given up and broken while crying over him, he didn't know how much longer he could watch._

Elijah got up to comfort her. But when he got up, he looked down to see that his body still rested motionlessly on the forest floor. Damon kneeled and looked at it with a blank stare. His eyes were back to normal. But his attention on the dead original was short as it quickly saw the other lifeless body in the forest opening.

"It is the in-between, my son." A voice said just a few yards to the side of him.

Elijah's neck quickly turned away from his body and in the voice's direction. He relaxed when he recognized his mother. It had been over a thousand years since he'd been in her presence. But it felt like it had just been yesterday. She gave him a shy smile, unsure of how he would receive her manifestation.

"Mother." He whispered in disbelief. But Hayley's crying brought back his attention. He turned back to her and step by step; he slowly made his way closer.

"She can't see you." Esther tried to say as gently as possible.

Elijah ignored her comment for a few seconds. He kneeled down just a few feet in front of Hayley. She stared right through him to his real body. He thought perhaps he could get her to sense that he was still with her. Elijah shut his eyes, hating himself for leaving her like this.

"Is this where you've always been?" He asked his mother without facing her.

Esther looked down at the ground. She could hear the accusation in his question, even if he didn't mean it. Then he turned to watch her as he waited for her to say something of importance.

"I have been forbidden peace." She muttered.

Instead of feeling sympathy for her, Elijah felt anger. He quickly stood up from Hayley and took a few aggressive steps toward his mother. "And this, this is what you spent your time doing?" He alleged as his hand gestured to Hayley. Esther opened her mouth to defend herself, but she was cut off before she could even begin. "You changed the course of her entire life, for what? So she could be killed? So she could become a vampire?" He practically spat at her.

"My dear son, you have been killed, yet all you care for is reproaching me?" Esther asked him calmly. Then her eyes wandered over to Hayley and her son. "Niklaus will watch over her. He will never leave her side."

It was meant as a reassurance, but all it did was make Elijah angrier. "She deserved better! Our family…we ruined her."

"You were her better!" Esther finally raised her voice as well. "I have seen inside your thoughts, Elijah. I know what curiosities haunt you." She said mystically. Elijah narrowed his eyes, daring her to try him. Esther waved her hand and with it, their entire surroundings changed.

The sun was just starting to set, making the light look even warmer to a vampire. Elijah ignored his mother and glanced around to understand his new setting better. It seemed they were in a backyard. But behind it were tall oak trees that shaded part of the yard. A young boy, no older than 6, ran past Elijah as if he wasn't even standing there. His gaze followed after the young boy.

Elijah's expression immediately dropped when he found the child's destination. The boy had stopped at a picnic table. But Elijah wasn't watching him anymore. His attention was stuck on the woman whose lap the boy sat on: Hayley. But it wasn't his Hayley. She had her hair longer than she ever allowed it. And it pulled back by a headband, something he had never seen her do in real life. She was older, late 20s perhaps. Next to her was a young man Elijah seemed to recognize, but he wasn't sure from where.

"His name is Luke." Esther brought him out of his thoughts. She seemed to have appeared from nowhere. "And you have seen him before. Not in person, of course. But from pictures in her room, stories she told you as a child."

Elijah didn't take his eyes off of this illusory Hayley. "What is this?"

"_This_ is what you think her life would have been had she not met you." Esther stated simply. Then she stared at her eldest son. "But it was never a possibility. Even if I had tried, her life would never have been what you hoped."

"I do not understand." Elijah murmured. "Why? Why could she not have this life? A human life where nothing of our world could ever touch her."

Esther sighed and her hands held together in front of her. "There are certain people in this world who were meant to be intertwined with the supernatural: the doppelgängers, Alaric Saltzman…Hayley. I have seen it too many times. They have beautiful souls. They deserve more. But they get broken anyway. There is no stopping it." She looked up at Elijah, who then finally met her gaze. "This was never a path she was given."

Elijah felt the fabrication coming to a close. He tore his eyes away from his mother's to take one last glance at this different girl. She was laughing with her son. But as her husband talked to their child, she suddenly stopped smiling. She appeared to be sensing something or was in an abrupt and deep thought. Her gaze slowly wandered over to where Elijah and Esther stood. She didn't look at them, but she stared at the air around them with a sad expression. It was almost like she knew she was in some sort of fairytale that could never actually be true.

Then Hayley and her family disappeared.

Elijah bowed his head and closed his eyes. A deep breath escaped as he pinched the bridge of his nose. The false image affected him more than he ever thought it could. He'd imagined something similar so many times. But seeing it in front of him brought on emotions he thought he'd never feel again: jealousy for seeing Hayley living a normal life with a man that was not him, hope for the thought that she could have such a life, and guilt from knowing she never would. And it was all because of him.

When he finally had the courage to raise his head, he wasn't back at the forest clearing. Fluorescents fueled the lighting, the floor he stood on was linoleum tile, and he could even smell the scent of stale coffee and burnt bacon. His mother wasn't watching his reaction. Instead, she was looking straight ahead.

They were standing by a row of booths. And at the other end, sat the only customer in what appeared to be a 24/7 diner. Elijah glanced out the wall of windows. It was obviously late in the nigh, 2 maybe 3 o'clock in the morning.

Elijah walked closer to the customer on the other side. He didn't have to look closely at them; he had immediately recognized her. Hayley sat with her head hung low and hidden underneath a black hood. It caused a small shadow over her face. She had on a black leather jacket and combat boots. It was her normal attire, but these clothes appeared worn out and almost as if they were falling apart.

Her eyes were gloomy and bloodshot. The small amount of red-blonde hair that managed to be seen from underneath the hood didn't look vibrant, like usual. Her nails were painted blood red but half the polish was chipped. Elijah noticed the dirty backpack and duffel bag sitting on the other side of the booth. They seemed to be her only belongings. Her life packed into two small bags.

A waitress came over, interrupting Elijah's observations, and filled the coffee cup that was in front of Hayley. Usually the employee was used to seeing all types of people in the diner that was right off a highway. But something about the young woman made the waitress linger longer than usual at the table.

"Can I get you anything to eat, sweetheart? Something more than coffee?" She asked in a way that made it obvious she was somebody's mother. Her voice had a slight country twang to it.

Hayley blinked a few times as if she was breaking out of some drug fix. She rubbed her eyes roughly with the back of her hand. "Ugh. I'm good. Thanks." Her voice was hoarse and exhausted. The waitress nodded and took a step backward, but stopped to watch Hayley for another moment.

"What's a young, pretty thing like you doing on the road by herself?" She finally made herself give into the curiosity.

Hayley looked up at the waitress for the first time. "If I was washed up and unpleasant, would you be asking me the same question?" She challenged darkly. It was always the same thing at places like these. Every once in awhile, someone would muster up the courage to ask her what the hell she was doing. Sometimes it would be young men…or old men. Sometimes they would think they could take advantage of her. But she was always more than happy to prove they couldn't.

"I guess not." The waitress sighed, flustered by the girl's quick wit. She rushed off, deciding she wouldn't say another word to the girl. Hayley took a sip of the black coffee and then stared straight ahead. It was like she was waiting for something to appear in front of her, something that would give her a purpose.

"Your mind was vaguely tainted." Esther commented. She spoke of the difference between what he had always thought her life would be without him to the scene in front of him that was the truth.

Elijah didn't have to look to know it was his mother. "That is putting it frivolously." He muttered. "How did this even begin?" He questioned with disbelief.

"She had nothing to stay for, so she searched for a reason. But she did not apprehend that she would not be able to find what was needed." Esther hummed. A strange smirk started on her lips as she watched her son in the corner of her eye as he stared at Hayley. "She is looking for you…perhaps you could say Niklaus as well. She simply does not know it." This caused Elijah to finally look at his mother. The words were too close to what he had recently told Hayley. His gaze narrowed. Had she heard him say that to Hayley? Was she using it to mock him now? But Esther was serious, hoping it would prove her point to him.

The scene around him started to have a pulse. It would dim and brighten as it beat in the air around him. It almost felt like static on an old television. Elijah was growing more and more frustrated. The only thing keeping him calm was the thought of crossing over and ridding himself of his mother's paranormal torment. But what if he couldn't cross over? What if he would receive the same punishment as his mother? All his talk of morals and he had still murdered hundreds. How could he have ever believed he deserved peace after the things he did? Elijah covered his eyes with the palm of his hand. He was done.

"Patience, my son. There is one more thing you must see." Esther's mouth whispered into his ear. It caused a shiver to go up his spine. He quickly removed his hand and was hit with another setting. They were on a mound and nothing but green hills could be seen. Clouds and blue sky were above them. It was too bright and colorful to be reality.

Elijah spun around, wanting to find her as quickly as possible so he could get it over with. But when he turned around, instead of seeing Hayley. There was a little girl looking right up at him. She was even younger than the boy from the first apparition, hardly even 4 years old.

Elijah was speechless as he observed the similarities. The little girl had chocolate brown hair identical to his. It stopped just as it brushed her shoulders. But her cheekbone, her lips, everything about her face was almost identical to someone else. Then he stared at her eyes. They were blue-green just like the ocean on a day filled with overcast. She smiled up at Elijah as if she knew that he had put it together. But the little girl didn't speak to him.

Something possessed Elijah to kneel down to one knee so the girl could look him right in the eye instead of tilting her neck so far back. His forearm rested on his knee as he leaned forward just the slightest bit.

"Your most secreted reveries, Elijah." Esther spoke quietly from a few feet behind her son. "Your daughter." The witch tilted her head as she watched Elijah ignore her statements and continue to stare at the girl in front of him. The small smirk that had been on the little girl's lips slowly turned into the saddest frown a child could ever bear. There was awareness or knowledge in her eyes that made Elijah believe she knew none of this was real.

Without speaking, she moved forward and wrapped her arms around Elijah's neck. It was the only part of his body that her skinny arms could hold on to. He immediately placed his hands on her back as if it was instinct. Elijah shut his eyes and a single tear slid down his check as he felt her heart beating fast against his.

When he opened his eyes, another individual was in his view. His breathing faltered as Hayley looked right at him. She was barefoot and wearing a white, lace dress that stopped just above her knees. Her blonde-red hair fluttered around her face from a breeze that only seemed to be around her. She had on the smallest grin as she watched their child being held by him.

More tears escaped down Elijah's cheeks. Then his unborn child let go of him and kissed him on the cheek. Without waiting for a response, she turned and ran toward her mother who smiled welcomingly. Hayley kneeled down and spoke to her daughter, but Elijah could not hear what she said.

Elijah slowly stood up as they both brought their attention back to him. Hayley held on to the girl's hand. "Stop it! Just stop! What is the point of any of this?" Elijah shouted at his mother. He'd turned his back on them as he roared at his her. "Why must you torment me with these imaginings?"

Esther wasn't wearing her usual mysterious grin. Her expression was serious and she even flinched as her son spat his anger at her. "I wish for you to truly understand what I did for her. I desire your forgiveness. And I believed if I showed you the truth, you would be able to absolve me."

Elijah took a step toward his mother even though his heart was dying to go and join Hayley and their daughter. "By mocking me with my deepest desire? That is how you will achieve my forgiveness and understanding?" He ridiculed.

"You were always the most human of my children, Elijah. I never realized how similar yours and Rebekah's wishes were until recently. After a millennium of being one of the most powerful creatures in the world, what you wanted most was to be human with the woman you love."

Without meaning to, he glanced at the two again. It caused the next words to come out just faintly. "It was a foolish dream." His head hung low. Then he heard his name being called. But it wasn't from his mother. Elijah quickly looked up to see Hayley motioning for him to come to them.

"Is this some sort of bliss? Can I stay with them?" He whispered to Esther.

"No." She immediately replied roughly. "You cannot go to her. It will disappear the moment you believe it is real."

Hayley's face dropped into wretchedness as she slowly realized he wouldn't come to her. She walked backwards as her eyes stared into Elijah's with sadness. Then she grabbed her daughter's hand and they ran away.

Esther came up behind her eldest son and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Her mouth moved right next to his ear. "When you are with her, it shall be without guilt or wonder of a better life for her."

Elijah finally glared at his mother. "What use is there to proving to me that we belonged together?" He growled at her. "I am gone! There is nothing left for us! She has an eternity without me!"

"I hope you think better of your mother. Tell Niklaus I loved him. Perhaps he will believe it this time if you say it instead of Hayley."

Elijah's glare lightened slightly. "I do not understand."

* * *

Hayley's eyes had run out of tears. Her cheeks and neck were wet while her body was limp. The others had vanished, Damon carried his best friend and Stefan carried the girl they loved. Both were dead from separate originals. Klaus would never had let the key to his hybrids be killed had the situation been controlled. But he was blinded by rage at someone trying to hurt the people he loved.

"Hayley," Klaus started to whisper. But he didn't know if he had the courage to tell her they had to go. "Hayley, we need to leave town." He tried to lower the urgency of the situation.

"I'm not going anywhere." She muttered.

"Hayley," Klaus pressed.

"I said I'm not going anywhere!" She then yelled.

Klaus then let go of her and stood up. He moved in front of her so he blocked her view of Elijah's body. "I am not leaving this god forsaken town without you. And I will make sure of it whether it's by throwing you over my shoulders or compelling you. Don't make this any harder and come with me peacefully." Hayley seemed to be looking right through him, at Elijah's body. She wanted to go to him. But she knew Klaus wouldn't let her get even an inch closer.

Klaus leaned in front of her, forcing eye contact. "You are my friend, Hayley. And you are coming with me whether you choose to or not."

She glared daggers at him. Her eyelashes were still wet from her crying. "Friend?" The word practically hissed. "Is this-all this," She started yelling at she gestured toward the destruction around them. The smell of burnt flesh and blood filled her nostrils still. "That's what it took for you to choose us!"

Klaus looked at the ground with shame from her observation. His jaw tightened in anger to hide it. He was too proud to admit his mistake. That was a matter they needed to deal with later. There was no telling if any witches would regain their courage and come up with another plan before they left.

"Your brother is dead!" Hayley shouted at him. "He is dead because he came back for you, even after you rejected him and the rest of us!" She stood up straighter. Her anger could no longer be expressed while she hung with hopelessly.

"I hate you." She whispered to him. And as expressionless as Klaus' face was, her words broke his heart.

"Careful, child. Do not speak words of malice during such grief-stricken times." The voice was so calm and melodic. Both vampires immediately turned to see a stranger standing right over Elijah's body. Klaus, despite the harmful words shot at him, stood protectively in between Hayley and the witch. He didn't recognize her. But Hayley did, although she hadn't seen Genevieve earlier like Elijah.

"How many more of you do I have to kill to prove that you have no chance against me?" Klaus growled at the redheaded witch.

"Why didn't you warn me? What was the point of telling me they were connected if you and your kind planned to kill us all along?" Hayley accused her loudly. None of it made sense. She knew Hayley would tell the originals and they would find away to separate themselves. Wouldn't it have just been easier to kill them if Genevieve had never revealed Bonnie's secret spell?

"You of all people should understand that we do not always agree with our family." The witch hummed calmly. "I may have been present for their attempted massacre. But I never agreed with coming out of hiding and exposing our line." She pointed to the corpses of her two elders. "It only brought us the suffering we always meant to escape."

"Speak your reason for being here before I lose my patience and turn you." Klaus said with a tilt of his head.

Genevieve ignored him and stared at Hayley. "I was the witch who told Elijah of the prophecy. It was through me that he first laid eyes on you." Then her hidden smile went away. It was strange to see her without it. "At first, I felt responsible for bestowing his path toward you. But she quickly showed me what your life would have become had I not."

"Who showed you?" Hayley asked quickly. Just for a moment, her anger had been replaced with curiosity.

"I owe a debt to her." Genevieve didn't answer the young vampire's question. "I almost died as a young child. I crossed over to a world that is neither here nor the hereafter. It is the place that many witches are forced to forever exist, never truly resting or finding peace. She pushed me back to the mortal world. She saved me and promised that she would never let me get stuck there again."

Klaus glanced at Hayley who took a step forward from behind his protective stance. Her eyes were mesmerized by what the witch was saying.

"I thought my debt was repaid the day I helped Elijah find the brother he wished to destroy." Genevieve's eyes flickered to the hybrid and then back at Hayley. "But it was just the beginning." Hayley squinted at the witch, not fully understanding what she was trying to tell her. Genevieve gave a small and wicked smile. "Come, child." She gestured. "I need your blood."

Klaus immediately intervened. Before Hayley could even take a step toward the witch, he had raced for her and grabbed Genevieve by the throat. "Do you think me a fool to overlook what you are truly trying to do?" He snarled.

"Nik! Let her go!" Hayley yelled angrily. "If she wanted to kill all vampires, why would she have tipped me about all of you being linked?"

Klaus stopped glaring down at Genevieve and glanced at Hayley. "To gain our trust obviously, so she could finish what her family started while we were caught off guard." He turned his attention back to the witch and his clutch around her neck tightened. Then his head felt as if it were bursting. His teeth clenched together as he had no choice but to loosen his grip. The pain stopped as soon as he let go.

"Your inability to trust others will be the death of you." Genevieve said calmly, as if she hadn't just been nearly choked to death by the hybrid. She looked around him, at Hayley, waiting for her to come over. Hayley slowly walked toward Genevieve and tried with all of her might not to look down at Elijah's body.

In all honesty, she didn't know what Genevieve planned to do with her blood. A part of her agreed with Klaus. But that was the part that also motivated her to do what the witch asked. If she just wanted to kill her, then she'd let her.

Once she had made it to them, Klaus stepped back with loathing. Both young women ignored him. "Your hand." Genevieve advocated. That's when Hayley finally looked down at Elijah. As she stared at his seared and numb body, her hand shook while it reached out. It suddenly felt even more real than before.

Genevieve brought up a knife that glinted in the moonlight. Klaus started forward. "Stay where you are hybrid. You are well aware I can end you on my own." The witch warned. Hayley ignored the small tryst. Her eyes were glued to Elijah. She didn't even feel the knife go across her entire palm. Klaus watched in anger as Genevieve opened up a skinny glass tube that was already half way filled with other blood. She gently turned Hayley's palm so her blood dripped into the tube. She didn't stop until it filled to the tip, threatening to overflow.

Hayley finally tore her eyes away from Elijah and stared at the container of blood. Question lingered throughout her expression. But she didn't even care to ask. Genevieve stared at her seriously. "You must do precisely what I say." Hayley nodded blankly, not seeing the point in disagreeing.

Genevieve kneeled down next to Elijah's body and looked up at her, waiting for her to follow without instruction. Hayley slowly kneeled, but quivered as she was forced to gaze at Elijah's corpse again. Genevieve grabbed Hayley's hand once again and placed it over Elijah's heart. There should have been a thumping there. But it was still. The only movement was Hayley's trembling hand.

Genevieve almost looked sympathetic, as she perceived Hayley's tortured and desolate face. "Close your eyes." The witch whispered to her.

Klaus watched in anger as Hayley did everything she was told. As soon as her eyes were closed, Genevieve opened Elijah's body and poured the flask down his throat. Klaus wanted to rip her apart for defiling his brother's body and making Hayley a part of it. But something stopped him.

Hayley had ragged breathing as she listened to the witch mutter things she could not understand. She felt like she was going to break down any second. She just wanted to give up completely.

A wind suddenly picked up and was spiraling around her, causing her hair to flutter around her face. Then it stopped abruptly. "Open your eyes." Genevieve whispered. Her voice sounded strained and exhausted. Hayley didn't know how much time had passed and she didn't care. But hser eyelids slowly lifted.

* * *

**Hopefully that didn't get too trippy for you guys. **

**So, tomorrow is going to be a horrible day. And I would love if I had _reviews_ to make it more bearable. **

**Please and thank you.**


	30. Part XXX

**Thank you so much! Your reviews have got me through the beginning of finals week. Enjoy :)**

* * *

Hayley blinked a few times, staring straight ahead blankly. Then she heard a thump that came from neither Klaus nor Genevieve. She held her breath as she looked down at Elijah's corpse. But it was no longer a corpse. It was mending itself, right before their eyes. While his suit remained scorched from the flames, his skin started a reversed decomposing process. It healed and regenerated as Hayley remained speechless and had still not let out a breath. She allowed herself a quick glance up at Klaus, who was standing a few feet away. He didn't meet her gaze. Instead, he stared at his brother's body with a stunned expression that he tried to hide.

Hayley quickly looked back at Elijah. She was scared that it would stop at any moment. But it continued. And while it felt like an hour, his body repaired itself in seconds. Then the wind that had started churning around the three of them ceased. The forest's clearing went dead silent. There were no sounds of grasshoppers chirping or leaves fluttering in a breeze. It was like the forest was caught in the suspense, waiting with the rest of them.

Hayley hadn't realized that she leaned forward. Her hand still rested over Elijah's heart just like Genevieve had instructed moments ago. Then a beat of absolute silence hit just before Elijah shot up in his place. It wasn't like waking up from being daggered. In its place, it felt like waking up from a bad nightmare. A sweat lingered across his skin and he breathed heavily as if he was trying to figure out where he was or what had happened.

Then his eyes found Hayley's, who was on the ground but had been pushed back to lean on the sole of her palms when he had snapped awake. She stared at him with an incomprehensible face. Elijah couldn't tell if it was shock or fear. But then she practically tackled him back to the ground. Her knees somehow found either side of his waist as she embraced him with all of her might. He clasped her back firmly with his hands. Suddenly he was reminded of their unborn child he had hugged while in-between. Had he made it all up? He noted that it was impossible.

While Hayley embraced Elijah she glanced up to see Genevieve walking away from them and into the shadows of the trees. As if the witch could sense eyes on her, she slowly turned and met the young vampire's stare. _"Thank you."_ Hayley mouthed to her. The witch almost gave no reaction once so ever. A part of her was ashamed for helping bring back a vampire, an original that started the race, which harmed so many. But when she looked into Hayley's eyes, all regret vanished. The girl had lost the man her entire life had been wrapped around. And she would have been destroyed for the rest of her immortality had Genevieve done nothing.

With a short hesitation, the witch gave a sad smile and a small nod before turning back to her getaway course. She would never see them again. That was something she knew for sure. Just before she reached the line of trees, a breeze swept up around her. It made her coiled and bright red hair fluster around. Genevieve closed her eyes, immediately understanding what it meant. "You're welcome." She whispered to the wind, knowing Esther would hear her response. A weight was lifted off her shoulders. Her debt had been repaid and she would never suffer the fate of never finding peace like other witches had before her.

Elijah felt small tremors coursing through Hayley as he held on tightly to her small frame. He pulled away so he could look at her, stare into her beautiful blue-green eyes that he never thought he'd ever see again. They were filled with tears even though she looked as if she'd witnessed a miracle befalling. But to her, it had been a miracle. She was trembling in shock and stress that even a vampire body couldn't handle.

"I'm alright. Everything is alright." Elijah instantly reassured her. Before he watched her cry over his dead body from the other side. He couldn't do anything to comfort her. But now he had to make sure she knew they were safe. "I will never leave again. I promise you." He commended.

Hayley let out a short laugh. It was her body's only consideration for how to deal with the entire trauma. Without waiting for him to try to reassure her further that he was okay, she kissed him. Her lips were wet from the tears that couldn't stop falling.

"I can't-I don't understand." She was barely able to sputter in between her kisses. Then she finally pulled away and stared into his chocolate brown eyes. It felt like he was going to be snatched away if she glanced away even for a second.

Klaus watched his brother be reunited with the love of his existence. The girl Klaus was once able to call his only true friend. But now he felt like a stranger invading on a moment that was never meant for him. It was one of those rare times when he had to ask himself if he was jealous of his brother for simply having love or for Hayley loving Elijah like she never had loved him.

Klaus clenched his jaw and allowed himself a few more seconds of observing their happiness. Neither of them acknowledged him. Elijah didn't even notice he was there. And Hayley had forgotten. They were too immersed in their relief of being in each other's arms once again. Without making a sound, Klaus disappeared. He didn't want to go to the mansion. They would probably be there sooner or later and that wasn't a long enough time for him to be alone.

"I will never trouble myself with trying to understand any of it." Elijah basically whispered. His hands held tightly onto her hips as she kneeled on top of him. "All that matters to me is that I am here with you…in my grasp."

Hayley shook her head still in disbelief at him being right there. "All that matters to me is that you're alive." She mimicked. How could it matter where she was or if she was in his grasp when he had been resurrected right before her eyes?

Elijah finally took his eyes away from hers, as hard as it was. He looked around the forest clearing. The only thing left, besides the two of them, was the witch and warlock's bodies. Hayley finally moved off of him so he could stand. She had finally convinced herself that he wouldn't disappear. Elijah stood and looked around for another sign that someone else had been hurt. He didn't know how long he had been on the other side, being tortured by his mother's sorcery.

"Rebekah?" He asked Hayley with concern.

She shrugged her shoulders but her calm expression proved to him that it wasn't worth worrying about. "She ran right before Damon…" Her voice trailed off, struggling to say 'killed you'.

Then Elijah's face loss its concern and became irritated. He tilted his head to the ground in an attempt to keep Hayley from reading his expression. "And Elena?"

A flicker of jealousy sparked in her eyes. But he wasn't looking at her to catch it. Elena may be a doppelgänger, but she was still a girl within her own. Nevertheless Hayley's distaste for her would never go away. Yet, why did she still feel guilty for her death, even if it was Rebekah who had gone through with it?

"Dead." Hayley confirmed. "Or transitioning I guess would be the correct word for it." She added in a quiet mutter.

Then Elijah finally looked at her. "You were going to kill her to save me." It was a statement but she couldn't help but feel like she was meant to defend herself.

"Yes, I did it to save you! And I would do it again if it was the only chance I had left to keep you alive." She didn't shout but her words were hard and emotionless. "I don't regret it. I can hardly feel anything when I think about it." Then she contemplated whether she wanted to share the next part. "I shut off my emotions…I don't think it really worked. I couldn't stop them once Alaric attacked me."

Elijah's jaw clenched at what limits his death had pushed her. But he wasn't mad at her. Even when he thought he was, it was really anger directed toward himself. He stepped closer and put his hands on either side of her face. "Hayley, I want you to promise me that you will never try to do that again." Hayley blinked at his intense gaze. They way he was looking at her, holding her, and speaking with such intensity: it made her feel like he was her parent. Not in a condescending way, but in a way that showed his countless years of wisdom and personal experience.

"I understand it may seem as though it is the easy way out, that it will save you from so much pain. But it is so much harder to repossess it than you realize." He said each word with such diction, making sure she heard every sound. Then he sighed, realizing how disdainful he was being. "Hayley, no matter what, no matter if something should happen to me…never turn it off. Do you understand?"

She grabbed at his hands to remove them from her cheeks. But he didn't budge. Finally, she nodded. Even though she didn't believe she had the strength to follow his wishes, she let him believe she would do as he said. _But he wouldn't be here to give me his disappointed look that I rarely see_, she thought.

"I understand." She stammered out when she apprehended he was waiting to actually hear her say the words.

He stared at her, measuring her honesty. A few moments later, he seemed somewhat satisfied and nodded his head as he removed his hands from her face. Then stepped back, giving her space and seeing her immediately relax when his intensity stopped. He gently grabbed her hand. "Enough is enough." He stated firmly. "We are leaving Mystic Falls and we shall never return." Hayley simply nodded.

* * *

A car arrived at the mansion two hours later. All their stuff had already been packed. Hayley and Elijah had enough time to shower to get rid of all the blood, tarnish, and desiccation. To stay in a burnt and destroyed suit would never have occurred for the original. Even after the recent tragedies, he had to be presentable.

Not many words were exchanged between them as they scurried around the mansion. But every time they crossed paths, Hayley would stop and kiss him. It was like she needed it as proof that she wasn't dreaming he was alive. The behavior was somewhat unusual for her. She was never good at openly displaying emotions and exposing affection was almost as difficult for her. But she didn't care about any of that then. All that mattered was that Elijah was alive.

None of Elijah's family had been waiting for them at the mansion. Hayley suspected that Rebekah had returned, told Kol of their brother's demise, and together they fled as far away as they could get. Elijah stated that he would get in touch with them somehow. But he didn't mention anything about Niklaus. He could see in Hayley's eyes that she didn't even want to talk about him.

Disappointment wasn't nearly a strong enough word to describe how she felt towards Klaus at the time. Hayley couldn't help but wonder how much all of this could have been avoided if he had made different decisions. But there was no room for such questioning, so she pushed it to the back of her mind.

They weren't even out of the long driveway of the mansion when Hayley looked over at Elijah. He was deep in thought and did well to hide it. But she still knew what he was thinking about. "She'll probably be awake by now." Hayley muttered as she looked out the window even when she felt his eyes on her. But he didn't respond. "Excuse me," Hayley told the driver. "We have to make a stop first."

A few minutes later, Elijah was walking up the porch steps of the Gilbert house. Hayley followed a few yards behind. She stopped even a few feet away from the stairs up the porch. She had no intention of going inside. It wasn't her place. Elijah knocked on the door and Hayley listened to multiple voices muttering things inside about who could be there. It was Stefan who opened the door. But Damon was lingering right over his brother's shoulder.

Both of them looked shocked and startled when they registered that Elijah stood right before them. "I killed you." Damon said without any guilt. He had come to terms that he couldn't control any of his actions.

"I should start keeping a record for every time you have said such a thing to me." Elijah responded calmly, a small smirk hidden on his lips. "It is a rather long story." He added when Damon showed no amusement from the joke.

"What are you doing here?" Stefan sighed.

"I wish to speak to Elena." Elijah ignored Damon now and only regarded the younger Salvatore brother.

"Haven't you done enough?" Damon accused harshly.

"As I recall, your brother is the only reason Hayley was killed. I, of all people, understand the pain you now possess. My intention was never to harm or turn her. After all, I went through great troubles to keep Elena alive."

"Yeah, except when you kidnapped her and held her hostage in underground tunnels." Damon snapped. Elijah's only response was to narrow his eyes. It was like he was too superior to even acknowledge the younger vampire's charges.

"Jeremy!" Stefan called without taking his eyes off of Elijah. In a few seconds, the only Gilbert left human was at the front door. "Invite him in."

Jeremy's eyes widened slightly at the idea. But then he took in Elijah and saw that he had no objective of hurting his sister. It would benefit him in no way. "Come in." Jeremy sighed in frustration. Elijah nodded in thanks and walked past all three of them. He knew where Elena rested in the house. He didn't need to be directed.

Hayley stood outside on the lawn with her arms crossed. The three boys now stared at her, which made her gape at the ground with discomfort. But she refused to make them believe she was guilty for her actions.

"Are you gonna stand outside all night?" Damon questioned with a tone that showed he didn't really care what she did. But if that were really true, he wouldn't have asked her about it.

Hayley just glared at him as her response. When she stared into his blue irises, she still saw Elijah's murderer. Everyone knew Damon couldn't stop what he did, even when the person he loved the most was threatened. Hayley blinked away when she realized that Damon had caught her staring. His shoulders shrugged at her response to his somewhat rhetoric question. He disappeared further into the house, out of her line of vision within the opening of the front door.

"You can come in." Stefan surprised her and Jeremy by saying so gently. It must have been his heightened empathy that saw how drained Hayley was emotionally and physically. She shot her gaze up, measuring what his true intentions were. Then Jeremy finally relaxed and nodded. Hayley took a step at a time up the porch stairs. She stopped and shifted her weight uncomfortably when she reached the door. Her gaze refused to meet either Stefan or Jeremy.

"Come on in." Jeremy sighed. He wasn't upset with her. He was upset that everything that happened to his sister. Elena may have been the older sibling, but he always wanted to protect her. And now he felt completely helpless. Hayley slowly took a step past Stefan as she moved aside.

Hayley's eyes drifted around the home. Before entering, she thought that Elena and her had been forced into a similar life. She believed their vampirism was the only thing that made them able to relate. But as she looked around the house, she instantly knew their situations were so different. Pictures of Elena and her family were plastered on every blank space of wall. It was something Hayley didn't realize was a display that existed outside of cheesy movies. Elena had a family once. And Hayley already knew it was a family that loved her so much. It was something Hayley stopped wishing for herself a long, long time ago.

But it was what made the two, newly turned vampires different. While vampires had destroyed Elena's life, Hayley's life began from them. This was the path she was always meant to take. But Elena's life had always been so much more promising. And that was why the air felt like it had been sucked out of the room. Hayley never had the possibility of a better life without Elijah. But Elena's life had been destroyed when the two men she loved entered.

Hayley eventually made her way to the living room. There were two long couches facing each other. One was empty, but the other had Caroline Forbes sitting up straight with her palms resting on her thighs. She looked lost in thought, probably thinking of ways she could have prevented her best friend from being forced into the same life of vampirism.

There was nowhere else Hayley felt she could go. She didn't want to stare at the hidden hatred in Jeremy's eyes from his sister becoming part of the race he despised. She didn't want to see in Stefan's sympathetic look when she saw him as her own Rebekah in the story of her transition. And she couldn't even glance at Damon: Elijah's killer and the person who acted unaffected to everything that was going on around him.

Caroline and Hayley didn't dislike one another. It was the people that they cared about that didn't like the other. Hayley slowly stepped toward the couch and sat down quietly right in the center of it. Caroline glanced up at her and quickly looked away in discomfort. The two girls really didn't know one another. Caroline opened her mouth to say something but quickly shut it, not really knowing if she should even bother trying to have a forced conversation. She knew her and Hayley were the same age. But she couldn't help but sense the maturity that lingered around Hayley. Her eyes seemed wiser and the way she watched people made her appear so much older.

Hayley had heard Caroline's intake of breath when she changed her mind about talking. "You don't have to talk to me if you don't want to." Hayley indicated politely. "I was just going to wait outside anyway. I know when I am out of place."

Caroline nodded her head with a blank expression. People used to think she was a bitch or a mean girl for being honest. But Hayley did the same thing, but somehow made it admirable in a way Caroline never could.

Another moment of awkward silence passed. "I'm glad he didn't die." Caroline finally let the words escape. "Even though I have no idea how it's even possible…I'm glad Elijah is still alive." She added quickly. A small smirk played on Hayley's lips. "I just-I can't even think about what I would have done had it been Tyler." Caroline seemed to be lost in her thoughts, thinking about it.

"She's not going to be okay." Hayley said with her arms crossed. Caroline's stare flickered back to her. "She can't handle it. We both know that." Hayley didn't have to explain that it was Elena she was talking about.

"You don't know that." Caroline defended immediately. "She has gone through a lot worse. She'll get through this." But her last sentence gave her away. It sounded more like she was trying to convince herself than Hayley. "What is he saying to her?"

Hayley sighed, "Apologizing. He feels guilty about it. I guess it's just a little too close to home for him. And he did kidnap her…with his morals, he can't really help it."

"Is…um…Is Klaus still in town?" She asked next, not knowing how Hayley would react with her asking about the hybrid.

She looked out the window, completely appearing bored with the subject change. "Missing as far as I know." Caroline didn't realize how much Hayley was acting. Then Hayley glanced back at Caroline and was surprised at the expression she read on her face. Caroline looked confused and lost in thought. But it wasn't like when Hayley had first walked into the room. And in that instant, Hayley knew Caroline had wondered about Klaus more than just being her mortal enemy. She tried to hide any signals that would show she'd made her discovery.

"Why-Why does he like me?" Caroline said quietly. Her eyes looked toward the other side of the house where everyone else remained, unsure of what to do.

Hayley took in a deep breath. "Caroline," She began with another deep inhale. "I can tell you why Nik likes you, but I can't tell you why Klaus does." She saw that Caroline seemed quite confused. "They're two different people. And I don't really know if Nik is ever coming back." Hayley hoped her explanation would get her out of telling her anything about Klaus' affections. Apparently, it did since Caroline just nodded but still had a rather blank expression.

Someone politely cleared their throat at room's opening. Both girls looked to see Elijah leaning against the molding of the wall. He was looking at Hayley, silently asking her if she was ready to leave. Then he quickly nodded at Caroline. "Miss Forbes." He greeted politely. She gave a small smile.

Hayley stood up from the couch and walked to Elijah's side. But just as she reached him, she stopped and her hands went into fists. He watched her think just before she looked up at him. Elijah looked over his shoulder at Caroline, who was watching them intently. "I shall be in the car." He stated quietly.

Hayley quickly turned around and took a few steps back into the room. "You have this energy that makes people around you think that anything's possible." She started rapidly, completely catching Caroline off guard. "But that doesn't mean that you don't fight for what you want and deserve." Hayley ran her fingers through her blonde-red, now wondering what made her think confessing all of this was a good idea. "Nik hates being disappointed or betrayed. And it's obvious that you are nothing but loyal and protective of the people you love. He respects that more than anything." Then Hayley crossed her arms and exhaled. "I mean, you're beautiful and have the light he never did."

She thought she'd said enough and turned to the front door but stopped. Her eyes closed tightly in frustration. This was her last chance to do what her heart wanted. Hayley faced Caroline once again. "Look, I _know_ what kind of person he can be. And now I know the monster he can be too. But the Klaus you see is not the person that's my best friend. You may have your boyfriend right now, but we're vampires and we have forever." Without knowing when or how, Hayley's eyes started to water. But she blinked them down before Caroline could catch them. "I couldn't help him like I wanted. But I think you can. And he could love you with everything he has."

Caroline looked at Hayley with her mouth slightly open and completely speechless. When she had originally asked the question, she had never expected such an answer. But Hayley was honest and it was something that had been growing inside ever since she saw Nik's growing affections toward the blonde vampire. It was unrealistic to think her path wouldn't cross Caroline's. But they had forever; she didn't know when she'd have another chance to tell Caroline what she needed to know about Klaus. No matter how much she hated him right now, she couldn't think of having such harsh feelings toward him evermore.

Hayley didn't wait for Caroline to say something. As she rushed toward the front door and threw it open, she felt another pair of eyes watching her. Stefan leaned in the long hallway that went to the kitchen. His back pressed against the wall, arms crossed, and head hung low. He'd heard the whole conversation. Hayley didn't give him a smile or nod. She escaped the grieving home and fled down the porch steps.

Hayley jumped into the car and the pressure was immediately lifted. Elijah stared at her in understanding. He didn't grasp what she felt she owed Niklaus by talking to Caroline just like she didn't grasp what he owed to Elena. But neither of them judged each other for it. Elijah instructed their driver to take them to the airport. Hayley moved over so she was leaning against Elijah, resting her head on his shoulder. His arm wrapped around her.

"I am utterly stunned that you have not even asked where I am taking you, Mrs. Mikaelson." Elijah muttered into her ear so softly that it made it impossible for their driver to hear him. He teased her with her new and fabricated identity. According to her new and forged driver's license and passport, she was indeed married to Elijah.

Hayley laughed lightly. "It doesn't even matter at this point. I'm just glad to have this." Then she stopped leaning on his shoulder and twisted to give him a soft kiss to indicate what she was referring to.

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**Still not the end. One more chapter. I always love hearing all of your reactions  
**


	31. Epilouge

**Thank you so much for your patience. My life got really hectic. And I didn't want to rush the last chapter. So it took some TLC.**

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"Hoy, Bella!" Hayley smiled and shook her head. She slowly turned around to see a few Spaniard boys smiling at her. The brave one who had catcalled her took a step forward. He was wearing a white tank and a black leather jacket. His friends were sitting on their motorcycles, watching him.

"Que quieres?" Hayley said with amusement, allowing herself to humor the young boys just a little bit. She had been taking photographs at the local market, escaping before Elijah woke up and leaving a note to make sure he didn't worry. There were so many people swarming around, it was weird that she had been called out. Her expensive camera, which she hadn't allowed Elijah to buy her and demonstrated that she could compel the store owner without his money, was hanging off her shoulders by its strap.

"Tienes una sonrisa muy hermosa." The boy said with a confident smirk. He said the words slowly, guessing that she knew enough Spanish to understand his words but only if he spoke leisurely enough. "Y tu ojas…" He started to say.

"Usted no ha visto." She declared at soon as she heard the Spanish word for 'eyes'. She was currently wearing dark aviators, blocking anyone from seeing them. With her siren curse, she believed it made it easier to control when she shielded her eyes from the world. It had become a sort of comfort, especially in crowds.

"Si, corazón. Pero ya sé." A few feet behind him, his friends laughed at his charm.

Hayley laughed lightly and stepped intimately closer, making it seem like she were about to kiss him. The boy's cocky smile faltered just the slightest bit. "You should go back to your friends before I decide to drink your blood." She saw the boys dark green eyes dilate under her compulsion. "Vuelve a tus amigos." She commanded even though her compulsion had already worked. The boy blinked with a blank expression but his smile returned quickly after. He grabbed her hand and lightly kissed it, proving his ego hadn't been damaged in the least bit.

Hayley laughed at his cockiness as he rejoined his friends. They got on their motorcycles and rode away but not before the one gave her a wink. Once they disappeared down a curled alleyway, she turned back to the market. She raised her camera's viewfinder to her eyes and snapped a view photos of people buying fruit at the stand a yard or two away. Her sunglasses sat on top of her head, holding back her red-blonde hair. It had become longer than she ever allowed it to. It was slightly wavy from the wind and her lack of concern for styling it properly.

"Tu necesidades de trabajo español." A voice said behind her. She would have sighed with annoyance from another distraction. But her breath caught in her throat when she recognized the voice, even as it spoke another language. Very slowly, she moved the camera down from her eye. "Tu acento es horrible." She heard them add, clearly smiling as they said it.

Hayley slowly turned around and saw Klaus standing amongst the crowd of the market. He was wearing a loose white t-shirt and dark green khaki pants that tucked into scuffed combat boots. His lips held a smile that she had not seen in quite some time. It was the smile she grew to adore before she knew him as Klaus: the brother of the man she loved, but also his enemy. It was Nik that stood before her now.

He had been missing when Elijah and Hayley left Mystic Falls only moments after Elijah had been resurrected before their eyes. At the time, she didn't care. She had been furious with Klaus. But deep down, she knew she was also disgusted with herself for saying she hated him with such a truthful tone. But as the weeks passed of her and Elijah traveling from one country to the next, she started missing her best friend.

Mystic Falls had become some curse that ate away at their friendship. Everything had been working against them. But as soon as Hayley left, the darkness felt like it had been lifted off of her. And certain moments of her day, she would find herself wondering about him and questioning if he had fallen over the dark edge of the tipping point he rested on throughout their friendship.

Hayley now stood uneasily as Klaus watched her closely. While she was expressionless, he was able to keep a certain lightness with his smirk. Eventually, a smile appeared once she got over the shock of his mere presence. She hurriedly walked over to him and wrapped him into an embrace. His arms immediately returned the motion.

She felt him release a breath. And she wondered if he had wondered about her as much as she had him since she'd left Mystic Falls. "What are you doing here?" Hayley asked after she forced herself to let him go. But her hands still grasped his shoulders and his hands were still on her waist.

"You didn't honestly believe I enjoyed that god forsaken town?" Klaus joked.

"You enjoyed it enough to build a mansion there." Hayley countered. Then her arms dropped from his shoulders and she broke away from his grasp on her hips. "I guess it lost its appeal when a key doppelgänger lost her purpose after being turned." Then she stopped herself before going on. He didn't come here to get accused by her even more. "I'm sorry…you're standing right in front of me after months and the first thing I do is start bringing up why we stopped talking."

Klaus' jaw tightened. And Hayley waited for his anger to erupt and for Nik to disappear. But he took in a deep breath and crossed his arms over his chest. "I should be the one apologizing." He watched her mouth drop open slightly from his statement. "I am sorry for the pain I have caused you. But what I am sorry for most is that I disparaged our friendship. And you must know that I value it almost more than my family."

Hayley looked around at the people passing by. She couldn't look into his eyes. Not when they were being so sincere, something practically unknown for Klaus. "Are you going to apologize to them too?" She asked him roughly.

"I have made many more mistakes and caused crueler harm to them. It will take more than an apology. And they hate me too much to truly forgive me within this century." Klaus said it without regret or guilt, but Hayley could see through the façade. She opened her mouth to say something but was cut off when he looked over her shoulder to a distance. "My dear brother has found you."

Hayley quickly turned around to see Elijah watching them from the end of the market. The wary gaze on his younger brother broke for a second as his eyes met Hayley's and his expression immediately softened. She gave him a small smile, saddened that he didn't seem surprised or even moved by Klaus' presence.

Hayley turned back around to see Klaus looking at her already, instead of his older brother. "It's okay." She whispered. His eyes widened just barely from the disbelief of her forgiveness. "I said things that hurt you. And maybe they should've been said. Maybe they had to in order for you to see what you are capable of turning into. But I can't imagine going through immortality without my friend."

Klaus nodded. Then without hesitating, he wrapped Hayley into a hug again. As his chin rested above her shoulder, he looked at Elijah to see he was staring cautiously at him. He trusted Hayley, but he would never trust Niklaus.

She broke away and Klaus' gaze turned back to her. He smiled at her and she started walking toward Elijah. When she felt that he wasn't following, she stopped and gave him a questioning look. Klaus just shook his head. It took her a moment to understand he wouldn't join her. Hayley narrowed her eyes in confusion but turned and continued walking to Elijah. When she reached him, she turned back around to see that Klaus was nowhere to be found.

"He came all this way just to apologize to me." Hayley said quietly as she stared at the spot he had just been standing. Then she looked up at Elijah. "But he wouldn't even do the same for you, let alone come and talk to you…his own brother."

"No, he didn't come here to apologize to me." Elijah said as he stared in the direction his younger brother had disappeared.

"How do you know?" Hayley challenged.

Then Elijah met her questioning gaze. "Because he knows I would not have forgiven him." Then he watched her face line, unconvinced that Klaus had flown across an ocean just to apologize only to her. "He came here for you, Hayley."

She was about to argue further, but a pack of children ran past them screaming and giggling. Her gaze followed them as they ran down the street. Immediately, she remembered a talk Elijah and her had at the beginning of their tour around Europe. They had been lying under the covers of their Paris bed, the French windows open to the rain outside.

_"Elijah." Hayley whispered. Her head was resting on his well-built chest and her hand on his abs. She didn't have to look up at his face to know that he was paying attention and waiting for her to continue. "What did you see when-when you were dead?" She stuttered the question in a whisper. Even just recalling the memory made her breath hitch. _

_ "What caused you to believe I saw anything at all?" He responded almost too smoothly. _

_ That was when she tilted her neck to read him. "You hide it well." She gave him credit. Then she looked away. "You've been muttering in your sleep." She finally confessed in a whisper without making eye contact. She felt his entire body stiffen. _

_ "I did not wish to burden you with my recollections. You have been traumatized enough by the event." Elijah said after a beat._

_ Hayley sat up and moved onto the pillow so she could look at him. "If you're trying to protect me from something, I can handle it. Obviously it's been on your mind. You never talk about what happened that night. And I thought you would open up over time, but it's been getting worse every night." Then she saw that he still seemed unconvinced. She reached out and brushed his cheek. "Talking about it and sharing it will only help." She proposed. _

_ Elijah stared into her eyes for what seemed like minutes. He wanted to tell her. But he honestly didn't know how she would react to the things his mother showed him. And he hated being ill equipped. He was always a step ahead. And he knew Hayley so well, but not with this._

_ "My mother was there, waiting for me." He said slowly. Hayley's expression remained composed, knowing if she showed a certain reaction Elijah wouldn't continue. He turned his head so he stared up at the high ceiling as he recalled the memories that had been haunting his dreams. "She showed me apparitions…things that could have been, things that I believed, things that I yearned for once." Elijah blinked. "I know she meant to help me, to let me see things that would make me hate myself less."_

_ "But it made it worse." Hayley cut in. He didn't take his eyes off the ceiling as he nodded in agreement. "What did you see? I know it has something to do with me. Otherwise you wouldn't have tried so hard to hide it." She swallowed and wondered why her throat had become so dry all of the sudden. "Every time you look at me, it's like you're being reminded of something that causes an overwhelming amount of grief." _

_His stare snapped down to hers. "All of it was you." The clarification fled quickly from his mouth. "She showed me what I thought your life would have been had she not led it to mine. It was something I had imagined many times before, but actually seeing it caused a pain I can never describe. Jealousy: something I have rarely felt before you. I was filled with it. But she said it was never a possibility." _

_Elijah couldn't handle Hayley's encouraging face as he continued and looked back up at the ceiling. "Then…it was if we had never met." His jaw closed and tightened as he decided he did not wish to elaborate any further. _

"_Was it really that bad?" Hayley tried to laugh it off. But then Elijah gave her a look and she knew it was. Her smile immediately faded. He didn't need to say anymore. Somehow she had always known her life would have been darker than she could ever imagine if she had never met Elijah…or Klaus. Even when she became upset with Esther for steering her life, she still knew it was for the best. _

"_And the last?" Hayley murmured after silence had settled for too long. Elijah mouth opened to speak, but the words didn't come out. His throat had become dry. He turned slowly to look at her. And she swore she saw him blink back tears. _

"_A child." He rasped. Her brow furrowed with misunderstanding. "Our child." He simplified. "She looked just like you. Except her hair…she got that from me."_

_All of Hayley's composure was lost as she put together what he was saying. He had seen their unborn child, the thing that their love would never be able to bring to the world. Her eyes watered but she quickly blinked, trying to stay strong for his benefit. _

"_She reminded me of you and the day we met. I was simply walking and you sat abandoned on the curb, just waiting to change my life." Elijah finished with a sad smile. _

"_Maybe Esther was giving you the fight to get back to this side." Hayley muttered through a sniff. Holding back the tears still caused her nose to run. _

"_An impossibility?" Elijah countered. _

"_No. The idea that you cared enough to fight death." She clarified. _

Hayley glanced at Elijah and saw that he had caught her watching the children for a period of time that proved she'd been thinking about their past conversation.

"I would've been a horrible mom." She said lightly. "I never wanted kids. I spent my whole life terrified that I'd be my parents."

"As does everyone." Elijah tried to reassure her.

"But does everyone lose sleep over the thought?" She challenged. Her mind was always wondered about how much of her problems were caused by her parents. Her inability to trust others, her darkness that threatened to devour, her failure to express her emotions, how much of that would have disappeared had other parents raised her?

He shifted his weight while his hands were in suit pockets. The weather was warm, therefore Elijah's usual attire shifted slightly. Instead of his dark suits, he now wore a light, almost khaki color. His shirt was a baby blue and his tie navy.

"Then why did it make you so sad?" He asked her. They both knew he was referring to her reaction when he shared his in-between visions from his mother.

Hayley looked down, knowing her answer already but embarrassed to tell him. "Because I saw how much _you_ wished it could be true."

Elijah sighed and stepped closer to her. With one hand, he cupped her cheek and gently kissed her lips. He lingered there, not caring that countless people were around them. Hayley was not for public affections, but he didn't care. His point needed to be made. "For the record, you will forever be more than I want and beyond what I deserve." He kissed her before she could make any sarcastic comments or arguments. Then he moved his mouth to her ear to whisper. "And you would have been an amazing mother, despite what you believe." Her cheek felt his swift kiss.

* * *

"I do not fully understand why you are so curious after all this time?" Elijah laughed as they drove around countless hills. The roads were not even paved, instead made out of dirt that was still wet from recent rainfall. Short walls of piled up stone lines either side of the road. Mist lingered in the distance, making it hard for them to see the tops of many peaks. Yet the scenery was so green that it made Hayley feel like she was in a movie instead of real life.

"Well, this is the only place you've kept secret." She argued through a smile.

"Theoretically, I have kept all of our destinations a secret."

Hayley rolled her eyes. "Yes, but you are refusing to answer absolutely any of my questions and you didn't hire a driver." She pointed out and gestured to him steering the g-class Mercedes that caused them to stick out compared to all of the other small, European cars. But they hadn't passed anyone in the last hour and a half. "The only thing I know is that we're in Ireland. But that's only because of the airport." She murmured, not bothering to hide her annoyance of being kept in the dark.

"This place is unmarked on any map. No one has even been informed of its location or actuality. And I wish for it to remain that way. Therefore, I am driving." Elijah informed her very calmly and glanced over to see that she was watching him seriously. Apparently she hadn't expected it to be such a disclosure.

They were driving between two steep hills when Elijah followed the road into a sharp turn. Hayley turned her attention to the road ahead and stared in awe when they began driving through a tunnel made solely out of trees that had overlapped each other from both sides of the road. Nothing could be seen through the foliage as they continued forward. Elijah watched her carefully, interested by how amazed she appeared.

When the end of the tunnel was reached, a new sight was displayed. On the left, they were only yards away from the edge of a cliff. A hundred feet below, waves crashed against the rocky wall. On the cloudy day, the ocean had a hauntingly grey tint to it. At the other side of the road, green mountains jagged the grounds. It seemed like anyone who ventured through them would never come back. Hayley's jaw dropped as she took in the new scenery around them.

"This is incredible." She breathed to herself.

Elijah smirked at her personal comment. Once they passed the large knoll they had been driving alongside for the past few minutes, they could see downward at the bottom of the cliff they seemed to be driving on amongst the other mountains. A few miles down, a mansion rested on flat ground. Although they were still far away from it, Hayley could roughly see it below and knew that was their destination.

But 20 minutes later, Elijah was driving through an iron gate that was the only opening to get inside the property. On either side of the gate, tall stone pillars rested with gargoyles on top of both. The mansion got closer and closer to view as Elijah drove forward. Hayley became even more stunned as she realized 'mansion' didn't justify it at all. The estate was a Victorian-gothic castle, stretching for what seemed like blocks. It was made of stone and extravagantly covered in vines. With the overcast and greenery, it made Hayley feel like she was in an ancient folklore.

Eventually, Elijah stopped the car right at end of the stone driveway. Hayley didn't break her stare at the castle as she got out of the car. She was quiet as her eyes took in every detail of the structure. Elijah remained content as seeing her literally speechless. After what felt like moments, she finally looked at him over the hood of the car as he leaned against it.

"This belongs to your family?" She asked in shock.

Elijah shook his head. "No. It belongs only to me. As well as you...Hayley Mikaelson was formally comprised in the deed as of yesterday." He saw her eyes widened in disbelief. He stepped around the car to stand by her side, looking at the castle along with her. "It is one of the few properties that solely belong to me instead of my entire family. They are not even aware of its existence." Hayley took her eyes off of the estate once again to regard him with confusion. "When I finally broke away from Niklaus and Rebekah, it was where my escape ended. This is the first home I could call my own."

Hayley finally understood and held the house with a different outlook. It now appeared as it truly was: a safe haven, a sanctuary, and a home that would never be destroyed. Without looking away from it, she gently grabbed his hand, intertwining their fingers. She leaned into him and rested her head on his shoulders. Elijah didn't realize how much it meant to her, sharing such a place with her. It felt like they were the last of civilization, having this green world to them as their own paradise.

"I assured it was ready for our arrival. But the servants were under strict orders to leave for our stay." Elijah stated. "I recognized long ago how much you hate being waited on. I thought you would prefer it unoccupied."

Hayley smiled at his consideration. Her thumb continuously brushed his as their hands stayed together. "I thought you said no one knows about it." She wondered.

"They have all been compelled into secrecy." He assured her. Then he fulfilled his urge to kiss her and lightly pressed his lips to her cheek. "As of right now, we are lost to the world…we do not exist." He said softly.

"I think the clouds are going away just in time for sunrise!" Hayley squealed excitedly. She was practically skipping ahead of Elijah as he followed with a beaming smile that no one else would see but her.

"Shouldn't you be more disconcerted that you had to stay up all night instead of waking up early to see the sunrise?" He teased her.

Hayley immediately stopped her frolicking and she purposely removed her smile. Slowly, she turned and walked toward him. A foot or two away, she stopped and crossed her arms as she narrowed her eyes. "I didn't hear you complaining all through the night."

Elijah smirked at her suave reference about their delicate intimacy.

Hayley beamed at getting the reaction she wanted. She closed the distance between them. Her hand instinctively went for his tie, but there was not one around his neck. She settled with her hand grazing from his bare collarbone to his shoulder. "It is quite weird seeing you wear something other than a suit or nothing at all."

Elijah glanced down at his attire. In place of his suite, he had a navy dress shirt that was unbuttoned completely, showing off his sculpted upper body. And his legs were exposed for once with his grey swim shorts. "Well it is rather inappropriate to go swimming in a suit." He mocked her. A grin slowly grew on Hayley's lips she began walking backwards and started making her way up a small dune of sand.

Above them, the clouds parted just like she had predicted. Elijah glanced up at beautiful sky above them. He had taken her to Ireland during its short time of good weather. She hated tropical places, but she loved water. It was like he had chosen this place hundreds of years ago for her without knowing.

Hayley could hear the waves just on the other side of the sand hill. "If anyone would swim in a suit, its you." She giggled as she made her way over sand. Elijah looked away from the sky and quickly followed. As soon as he reached the top and looked down at her, time seemed to slow.

Her feet were at the very edge of the shore, barely letting the water touch her skin. She squealed with delight at being at the beach, something that she was never accessible to during her human life in the Midwest. As soon as she felt Elijah's eyes on her, she turned and skipped back to him. She was speaking to him, but he was too engrossed with her appearance to hear.

Right in that moment, before his eyes, was the first vision he had ever seen of Hayley. Earlier, he hadn't realized she was wearing the same black and white striped bathing suit with the oversize baby blue sweater. When had watched the scene before, he had confused the setting for a sunset.

"Elijah?" Hayley questioned him out of his daze, seeing that he was zoning out. Then she laughed at catching him preoccupied. It was the laugh he had heard that night, years ago. He looked at her as if she wasn't real. Then she became concerned once she read his expression. "Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked softly.

Elijah opened his mouth. But when he tried to speak, his throat was as dry as the sand he stood on. He cleared his throat. "You know of how I learnt of your existence."

She slowly nodded, brow creased with confusion on how that had anything to do with how he was acting. "Genevieve showed you a vision of me."

"This. Right here." Elijah gasped. For some reason, it was hard for him to breathe or even speak as he saw the sunrise lighting her. Hayley tilted her head slightly and gave him an encouraging smile, waiting for him to elaborate further. But he simply stared deeper into her eyes. And ever so slowly, she understood what he was saying.

"This is what you saw? This is what led you to me?" She asked. Elijah nodded with a clenched jaw. Hayley looked down at herself and around at setting they were engrossed in. It was like she was trying to picture what it had all looked like to him when the prophecy was thrown upon him as his fate.

"It's like this was the moment we were supposed to fight for all along." Hayley whispered. She had a sad smile as she pulled the baggy sweater over her shoulder even though it would fall again in seconds. She walked to him and grabbed his hands in hers.

"I feel as though this cannot be real." Elijah murmured as he brushed her cheekbone. "I want to hate my mother. But how is it even possible when she brought me to you?" He looked into her eyes and couldn't stop falling in love with how they were the same color as the Irish sea. Her blonde-red hair fluttered in the beach wind.

"Did you ever wonder if this was her way of apologizing for turning you and your family? If she couldn't make you understand you aren't a monster from the in-between, she found someone who could." Hayley proposed.

"Then I accept her apology." Elijah answered. Before she had time to respond or even react, he kissed her passionately. Her hands instinctively went around his neck, kissing him back as the sun rose above the horizon and the dark clouds parted.

"I love you, Hayley. Always and forever." He whispered before continuing to kiss her.

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**For anyone who is curious, the castle was based on Margam castle Humewood castle.**

**Thank you, thank you, thank you for reading this story and sticking with me. There would be absolutely no point in writing any of my fanfics if no one shared how much they enjoyed them. So, to anyone who ever reviewed this story, thank you. You are the reason I was able to finish it. **

**In regard to the AU _(Elijah/Hayley in 1700s)_ i mentioned in a few of the past chapters, I'm not sure if it's definite or not. But who knows. **

**Until next time...**


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